NATION : Imelda Marcos Holds Court
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SAN JOSE — Sipping champagne, former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos held court in a San Jose restaurant, three months before her U.S. District Court trial on charges that she fraudulently bought U.S. properties with funds plundered from the Philippine treasury.
The Monday night affair was reportedly her first public appearance since the Sept. 28 death of her husband in Honolulu.
In a restaurant owned by her former palace caterer, Del Garcia, the former First Lady, still dressed in black and surrounded by hundreds of admirers, dined on Swedish meatballs and fancy vegetables at a hastily arranged testimonial.
Marcos, 60, flew into San Francisco last weekend for a holiday visit with her daughters, Irene and Amy, both of whom live in the city with their families.
After the dinner, she entertained guests with two traditional Philippine love songs, accompanied by a cassette tape. At her side was her son, Ferdinand Jr., known as Bong-Bong, who did a rendition of “Misty.” His supporters hope he will assume the Philippine presidency someday in Malacanang Palace.
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