THE New York City District Attorney’s Office is set to release a verdict on the case against the former secretary of former First Lady and now Rep. Imelda Marcos of Ilocos Norte province for illegally conspiring to possess and sell work of arts

that the latter has acquired during her husband’s term by the second quarter of this year, according to Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

“We were told by the New York District Attorney’s Office that they are expecting a verdict this year,” PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista said of the case against 74-year old former social secretary of Imelda, Vilma Bautista.

Aside from Bautista, also facing the same charges are her two nephews, Pongsak Navalaksana and Cahiyot Jansen Navalaksana.

Bautista was arrested and arraigned on November 20 before the State Supreme Court in Manhattan for illegally conspiring to possess and sell valuable paintings they did not own and keeping the proceeds for themselves, and hiding the said proceeds from tax authorities.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered released after posting a $175, 000 bond while prosecutors are seeking the return to New York of her two nephews whose last known addresses according to the indictment are Bangkok, Thailand.

The PCGG chief said that they were assured by the District Attorney’s Office that they will pursue the case.

The artworks included Claude Monet’s water lily painting, Le Bassin Aux Nympheas, also known as the Japanese Footbridge over the Lily Water Pond in Giverny that was sold two years ago for $32 million.