[JURIST] A Filipino court acquitted Imelda Marcos [Wikipedia profile] of all five charges of tax evasion Wednesday, finding that the prosecution failed to demonstrate criminal intent in Marcos' failure to pay income and estate taxes between 1985 and 1989. Marcos, the widow of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos [official profile], is accused along with her husband of having looted the Filipino economy of up to $10 billion through embezzlement schemes.

The two fled the Philippines in 1986 following a popular coup supported by the military [BBC backgrounder]. Approximately $1.24 billion dollars have been recovered, with assets valued up to $4.4 billion in the Philippines and nearly $80 million abroad being pursued by up to 600 lawsuits. Reuters has more.