White-gloved appraisers from Christie’s auction house examined about 600 pieces of jewellery including gold chains covered with sparkling gems, a huge circlet of rubies and a necklace dripping with pink and yellow diamonds at a special vault at the Philippine central bank.
The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), a body created to recover the millions stolen by Marcos and his allies, said that “due to the vast quantity of jewellery to be appraised, it will take at least five days“ for teams to go over it.