Wikinews Shorts: June 13, 2007

Imelda Marcos aquitted of tax evasion
Former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos has been acquitted, due to lack of evidence, of tax evasion charges that date back to the 1980s.

The complaint said Marcos failed to pay 33.734 million Philippine pesos for earning 192.08 million pesos in 1985 and 5.736 million pesos for the Marcos estate in 1989. Without accounting for inflation, the amount tax officials said was owed totals around US$845,000. The case was filed in 1991.

"I thank the Lord that justice for the Marcoses has prevailed," Marcos was quoted as saying outside the courthouse in Quezon City. "You can be sure that this will be followed by justice for the Filipino people.’’

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Billions of baht missing from Thaksin accounts, Thai officials say
Thailand's embattled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had his assets in Thailand ordered frozen on Monday, but today banking officials are having trouble locating some of it.

The Assets Examination Committee ordered 52.8 billion baht (about US$1.5 billion) in 21 accounts seized, but only 43 billion baht has been found.

According to the Bank of Thailand, more than 8 billion baht was withdrawn between June 4 and Monday, with about 5.6 billion baht withdrawn in the name of Thaksin's brother-in-law, Bhanapot Damapong.

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