It concluded that if the funds were remitted to the Vienna bank to the account of Philippine government, whose authorized joint signatories were Solicitor-General Ordoñez and Gen. Almonte, there was no realistic chance that De Guzman would have stolen the money. In addition to this the Exportfinanzierungsbank in Vienna was also strictly regulated by the Austrian Federal Market Authority (FMA), and that the bank's board even had Almonte, Ordoñez, and Amb. Alejandro Melchor - ensuring the Philippine government's interest in the bank protected. And finally, De Guzman expected to receive a commission of $40 million (i.e. a 20% commission on the $213 million) if the monies were recovered, and thus he had an interest in ensuring that recovery did take place. On December 20, 1990, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland decided that the US$213 Million along with other banking documents should be transferred to the Philippine government, with conditions however. On August 10, 1995, the PCGG filed with the District Attorney in Zurich, Switzerland, an additional request for the immediate transfer of the deposits to an escrow account in the Philippine National Bank (PNB). The request was granted. On appeal by the Marcoses, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, in a decision dated December 10, 1997, upheld the ruling of the District Attorney of Zurich granting the request for the transfer of the funds. In 1998, the funds were remitted to the Philippines in escrow. On December 10, 1997 under the Swiss Federal Act of International Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters (IMAC), the Swiss Federal Supreme Court, issued the final decision to transfer the fund to the Sandiganbayan which now grew to US$540 Million due to interest. Also in 1997 the Philippine Senate's Blue Ribbon Committee and the House of Representatives' Committee on Good Government, would again review the saga of Operation Big Bird, with the same conclusion. Aquino's Vice President, Salvador Laurel would reflect that this their administration's greatest failure. Starting April 1998 up to July of that year, the Swiss authorities started transferring the identified Marcos money in Swiss banks to an escrow account in the PNB. On July 29, 1999, Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis E. Garchitorena denies the motion to release US$150 million from the funds to pay Marcos human rights victims. On October 27, 1999, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee held a special hearing in the Philippine Consulate in Honululu.