Marcos' millions destined for rights abuse victims, Philippine
Marcos' millions destined for rights abuse victims, Philippine
president says
Associated Press
Manila
The Philippine president said on Friday a portion of the US$683
million amassed by the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos will be
used to compensate victims of human rights abuses during his 20-
year rule.
The Supreme Court ordered the funds to be immediately
transferred from the Philippine National Bank - which held the
money after it was claimed from Marcos' Swiss bank accounts - to
the national treasury.
"The Supreme Court directive reinforces our pursuit of
justice, no matter how long the time had passed by," President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said in a statement.
She did not say how much of the US$683 million rights abuse
victims would receive, but said she will continue to work with
Congress to ensure those who suffered under Marcos' dictatorship
"are compensated under fair and equitable terms."
Law requires that all assets earned by Marcos illegitimately
be spent on land reform. But Arroyo said she wants part of the
money to compensate 9,539 Filipinos who won a class action
lawsuit for human rights violations against the Marcos estate in
Hawaii.
Arroyo has said previously that US$200 million could be
earmarked for the victims. The final figure will be decided by
Congress, which will have to amend the land reform law.
The Supreme Court rejected two appeals by the Marcos family to
block the transfer of funds from the Philippine National Bank to
the government.
Arroyo said the agrarian reforms department was instructed to
come up with programs and projects to use the money to uplift
rural communities.
Marcos was ousted in a 1986 "people power" revolt. He fled to
Honolulu where he died three years later. He never admitted any
wrongdoing.
In its original decision last July, the Supreme Court ordered
the Marcos family to forfeit money held in Swiss bank accounts,
if they "failed to justify the lawful nature of ... acquisition."
The Supreme Court ruled Marcos and his wife, Imelda, legally
earned only $304,372 during his two decade reign.