Claimants1081
Statement  22 Nov 2006



We welcome the news of our class suit lawyers that human victims of martial law would finally receive partial  compensation due them in the second quarter next year based on the decision of the US Court of Appeals in the Arelma case .


The Arelma case is the second principal discovery of the Marcos hidden wealth made by the class suit lead counsel, Robert Swift. The first one was the $638 millions in the Swiss banks. That was the first time the Philippine government arrogated upon itself the clause of "sovereign immunity" against its own victimized citizens. The said money was escrowed  in December 1997 to the Philippine National Bank and then later transferred to the Phillipine government treasury on the government promise that 1/3 of the amount will be allocated to the Marcos human rights victims.

More than two years has passed, even as the said amount has already figured in of the Bolante scandal last 2004 elections yet the  enacting bill for Marcos human rights victims compensation still languish in the halls of congress while its funding in the byzantine maze of the government coffers.

We call upon the good leaders of this government to prevail upon the duplicitous and mercenary habit of PCGG commissioners who have no qualms in dancing to any tune of compromise with Imelda Marcos and cronies at the same time squandering millions of taxpayers money in futile litigation attempts to deny the rightful claims of their own citizens.

We enjoin all members of the class suit to unite and focus on the principal issue of justice and compensation and take this opportunity to further the cause of justice and welfare of the victims and their families

We call upon the good men of this nation to support us in winning this battle not so much for the monetary compensation but to achieve the moral and political vindication of human rights against the forces of tyranny and oppression.
 

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