PH gov’t to decide on distribution of $13.75-M to martial law victims

FILE: 1986 rally against the Marcos Dictatorship in which protesters hold up images of Escalante Massacre victims (Photo By Malacanang Palace Presidential Museum and Library, Public Domain)

MANILA — Malacañang on Wednesday said it is the Philippine government that will decide on the distribution of settlement proceeds to some 9,000 human rights victims during martial law under former President Ferdinand Marcos.

Presidential Spokesman and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo explained this after New York district court Judge Katherine Polk Failla reportedly ordered the transfer of USD13.75 million (some PHP715 million) proceeds from ill-gotten wealth assets of the Marcos family.

“It is the Philippines that will decide — Philippine government,” Panelo said in a Palace press briefing.

When asked if the Philippine government can defy the US court’s directive, Panelo replied: “In the first place, do they have jurisdiction over us?”

Panelo said the Palace leaves the New York court’s order to Solicitor General Jose Calida.

“I will leave that to the Solicitor General because he is in charge of that,” Panelo said.

The Presidential Spokesperson said he will also clarify with Calida why he is blocking some of the compensation.

“I will have to ask him his reasoning for the oppositional blocking,” he said.

Panelo said he cannot speculate “even in principle” whether the martial law victims should receive the PHP715 million sourced from settlement proceeds of paintings seized from Vilma Bautista, an aide of former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

“I have to know the ‘whys’ and the ‘wherefores’ of SolGen,” Panelo said.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) earlier said the distribution is “grossly disadvantageous to the government and not in accord with existing Philippine laws and jurisprudence.”

The victims’ lawyers said the US court directed the transfer of settlements amounting to USD1,500 (around PHP78,000) to each of the victims, collectively known as Claimants 1081, in a class action lawsuit they filed against the Marcoses in Hawaii in 1995.