Questione giuridica chiave
Whether the account freeze could still be maintained pending a Philippine confiscation judgment
Decisione estratta
The freeze could not be lifted immediately, but the Philippines had to produce a first-instance confiscation decision by 2006-12-31.
Motivazione estratta
Under Art. 74a IRSG and Art. 33a IRSV, the freeze may continue only while a confiscation decision in the requesting state remains realistically pending. After about 20 years, the situation was disproportionate under property guarantees and the acceleration principle, yet an abrupt lifting shortly before an announced imminent decision would be premature.