NAGA CITY--- Claiming some 20,000 members across communities in Camarines Sur alone, a group of Marcos loyalists still believe former First Lady Imelda Marcos will share them her wealth from the gold hoard stashed in banks overseas.

        Gutierrez, assistant regional coordinator of Friends of Imelda Romualdez Marcos (Firm) 24k, a group organized 10 years ago supposedly to channel the Marcos wealth to the people, told Bicol Mail last Tuesday that each of the organization’s members is entitled to between P700,000 to P1M in shares, to be distributed right after the May 10 elections.

         Gutierrez said membership in Firm 24k is open to all interested Filipino individuals irrespective of their age, sex and profession, including newly-born babies.

         She explained the newly-born babies up to those 17 years old who are members of the Firm are entitled to educational benefits while those members 18 years old and above are entitled to livelihood and housing benefits.

         “The housing benefits are for married members, a house for each couple; those unmarried will enjoy livelihood assistance minus the house provided they are 18 years old and above,” Gutierrez explained.

        She claimed the Marcos’ gold hoard which had been deposited in 177 banks in Switzerland, Singapore, China and elsewhere has earned trillions of dollars in interest alone for the past 23 years.

        Emerita Nacario, Naga City roving coordinator, revealed they have at least 1,500 members in this city’s 27 barangays which include lawyers, nurses, policemen, teachers and ordinary individuals.

        Nacario said the true aim of their organization is to help the Filipinos placate themselves from poverty.

         She disclosed she attended the assembly in Manila called by Imelda Marcos on May 1, 2009 where she was convinced of the former first lady’s pledge to share with them the so-called hidden wealth.

        Memorizing the lines Imelda Marcos supposedly told thousands of attendees in the assembly, Nacario recited: “Ito na ang maliwanag. Ito na ang totoo. Kasi, ang aking 901 cases ay wala na. Acquitted ako lahat. Kaya mas maganda, mas maraming pamilya, mas maraming benipisyong makukuha. Ito lang Firm 24k ang matutulungan ko.”

        She added that with the wealth at hand, Imelda Marcos was truthful in saying that there will be “no Filipino who is poor”.

        Gutierrez said those who wanted to benefit from the gold hoard must already be a member of their 24K organization before the end of the May 10 elections. After that, no further membership will be accepted, she stressed.

        Asked if Firm 24k is involved with the senatorial campaign Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the former First Lady vehemently denied they are being mobilized to support the political interests of the Marcoses.

        Gutierrez and Nacario attended the regular session of the city council here to ask accreditation of their group from the city government.

        But the city council here withheld its decision to accredit the Firm 24k upon further study by the city legal office. The city councilors doubted the organization’s status whether or not it is a political organization, even as the group showed registration documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

        “It may quack like a duck but is it really a duck?” Naga City Vice Mayor Gabriel Bordado commented.

        Gutierrez expressed surprise the Naga city council withheld their accreditation when in Legazpi City they were immediately welcomed upon presentation of the organization’s credentials.

        In Libmanan, Camarines Sur Jose Plar Sr., 74, a roving district coordinator, said he was recruited to the Firm 24k in 2000. He was also convinced the Marcos’ gold exists when he watched a film shown to them by organizers that chronicled the gold’s existence.

        Pilar recalled the film was entitled “Pamana ni Nanay” which referred to Imelda Marcos as the “nanay”.

        He said he voluntarily works for the Firm 24k, organizing poor people in the neighboring towns of Libmanan like Pasacao, Sipocot and Cabusao, all in the province of Camarines Sur.

        He does not mind spending his own money to organize for the Firm 24k with the thought that the promise of better life awaits them once all the cases against Imelda Marcos are already dismissed.

        Pilar said they even spend for their fare and travel going to Manila to attend meetings of the Firm and buy its T-shirt, jacket and video compact disc that tells the story of Marcos’ gold.

        Nevertheless, he revealed some disgruntled members broke away and organized their own Marcos loyalist group called Maharlika because they were not allowed to produce their own shirts and other paraphernalia but they were told to buy them from the Firm 24k.

        Pilar showed an identification card printed with “Marcos loyalist, Makabayan, Maka-Diyos, Makatao” and with a creed that said: “Dear Lord, bless my mission and responsibility to directly give to the Filipino People from the Marcos Foundation, a humble “Gift of Love” to give “freedom” from fear and want to the Filipino people. And a modest contribution to economic survival of our beloved country”.

        The identification card is signed by Imelda Marcos and Artemio T. Lachica, president.

        His daughter, Teresita Pilar Guiruela, and his other children have also joined the Firm 24k.

        “You only have to fill up a form and then you become a member,” Guiruela said.

        But Libmanan Mayor Rodolfo Jimenez doubts the group’s promise to give its poor members share of Marcos’ gold hoard.

        Jimenez said he was invited last week to grace a meeting of the Firm but he declined to attend.

        He suspects the Firm 24k could be one of the means of the Marcoses to maintain their hold on the Marcos loyalists and expand their influence through the organization.

        Jimenez said the organization could also be used in the election to support the candidacy of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.