Philippines' Imelda Marcos loses bid to reclaim jewels

The Philippines government says it has recovered about $21 million worth of jewellery that the Marcos family acquired during the 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos. - AFP/file

Manila (AFP) - Former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos has lost a long fight to reclaim jewels confiscated when her dictator husband was ousted, with the Supreme Court ruling she acquired them illegally.

The items worth $150,000 are now the property of the state, the court ruled, paving the way for the possible sale of a much larger collection of Marcos jewellery that could net the government millions.