Imelda Marcos isn’t having a happy holiday.
Authorities in the Philippines — still trying to locate the $10 billion her late husband Ferdinand looted during his 21 years in power — have been raiding her homes and offices to confiscate her art collection.
Plus, the former first lady — famous for her huge collection of designer high heels — is being mocked before audiences in London and New York in “Here Lies Love” (her future epitaph), the hit musical by Talking Heads frontman David Byrne and DJ Fatboy Slim.
“She’s portrayed as a disco-dancing, pill-popping first lady who ignored the poverty of her people while she partied with Andy Warhol, Henry Kissinger and Prince Charles,” said one source in contact with an Imelda confidante.
“Mrs. Marcos sent friends in London to see the show, and they walked out. She is upset and feels under attack.”
Byrne has said of his inspiration, “I remember reading that she had a mirror ball installed in her New York townhouse.
Basically, she was not only going to clubs, she turned part of her house into a club. So I thought, ‘She’s got the music pumping!’ That’s the background in a lot of her life.”
Imelda, 85, was elected to the Philippines congress in 2010, but that hasn’t stopped anti-corruption officials from going after 156 paintings they claim were bought with looted funds.
Nine works were seized in her office — including paintings by Picasso, Paul Gauguin, Camille Pissarro, Joan Miró and Andrew Wyeth — earlier this month.
“She’s got a lot more, and she’s afraid they are going to raid her other places,” said my source. “She has stuff stashed all over the world.”