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By Francis Earl A. Cueto, Reporter
ROBERT SWIFT, the lead American lawyer of the
9,539 victims of martial law said on Tuesday that they can enter
into a settlement with the government if only to facilitate the
awarding of compensation from Marcos assets.
For its part, Camilo Sabio, chairman of the
Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), said his agency
welcomes any compromise move.
The settlement for the group, called Claimants
1081, can reach $100 million, but has been under litigation both in
the United States and Singapore courts over the past decade.
Swift told media that they are open to the
compromise so as long as it will be beneficial to the victims,
adding that they came up with the possibility of a compromise with
government after meeting with the group.
Swift stressed that it would be better to end
the case even if through a settlement.
PCGG’s Sabio, however, said he has set his own
conditions, including the decision or the process will be consistent
with existing Philippine laws.
This means that martial law victims will have to
wait until Congress passes the law amending the Comprehensive
Agrarian Reform Law that allocates funds recovered by PCGG.
PCGG Commissioner Narciso Nario said that such
offer was already made by Filipino Lawyer Rod Domingo, but nothing
has materialized since then.
The process is tedious as if the PCGG en banc
decides to accept a case after its presentation, it would still need
to get the nod of the Department of Justice, which, in turn will
submit the case to the Sandiganbayan, who will then endorse it to
President Gloria Arroyo.
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