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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 1233
Filed 02 May 2006; 4:05PM
Introduced by Akbayan! Party Representatives Loretta Ann P. Rosales, Mario “Mayong” Joyo Aguja and Ana Theresia Hontiveros-Baraquel
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RESOLUTION
CALLING FOR AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE COMPROMISE SETTLEMENT BEING CONTEMPLATED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT (PCGG) WITH FORMER FIRST LADY IMELDA MARCOS OVER THE ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH OF THE LATE STRONGMAN FERDINAND MARCOS WHEREIN THE PCGG SEEKS TO ABSOLVE THE MARCOSES FROM THEIR CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LIABILITY TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE
WHEREAS, the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) announced through Commissioner in Charge of Assets and Management Ricardo Abcede on 01 April 2006 that the PCGG “is not averse to making the initial move in opening talks with the widow of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos for a possible compromise on the Marcos ill-gotten wealth”;
WHEREAS, Commissioner Abcede, in a pronouncement made on 21 April 2006, said that “a compromise settlement with former First Lady Imelda Marcos over the ill-gotten wealth of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos is within reach” based on his 19 April meeting an intermediary of Mrs. Marcos which he described as “fruitful” and “meaningful”;
WHEREAS, a compromise settlement, if concluded between the government through the PCGG and Imelda Marcos, would end two decades of litigation over the ownership of an estimated $5 to $10 billion that Marcos allegedly stole from the country;
WHEREAS, Commissioner Abcede, said both the government and the former First Lady needed the compromise deal as the government needs the deal so the money would be freed to fund the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program to benefit poor farmers while Mrs. Marcos “would want to leave a good name in history as having helped the people by settling all these Marcos cases”;
WHEREAS, Commissioner Abcede said that a compromise deal between the PCGG and Mrs. Marcos could be a start of a “comprehensive” settlement that would eventually include all Marcos assets all over the world with which the PCGG, in exchange, would be willing to talk about possibly dropping all civil cases against Mrs. Marcos in exchange for a large portion of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth, including the $20 million jewelry collection set to be auctioned off;
WHEREAS, the primary mandate of the PCGG is the “recovery of ill-gotten wealth accumulated by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, his immediate family, relatives, subordinates and close associates, whether located in the Philippines or abroad, including the takeover or sequestration of all business enterprises and entities owned or controlled by them, during his administration, directly or through nominees, by taking undue advantage of their public office and/or using their powers, authority, influence, connection or relationship”;
WHEREAS, the PCGG was barred from entering into any compromise with the Marcos family since the Supreme Court ruled in December 1998 that any settlement which would absolve the Marcoses was unconstitutional;
WHEREAS, such deal being contemplated by the PCGG would also exonerate the Marcoses from their tax liability of P23 billion which is a glaring betrayal of the Filipino people;
WHEREAS, instead of exhausting all possible means to bring the Marcoses before the bar of justice through transparent processes, the PCGG has opted to abandon its mandate of recovering every centavo that Marcos and his henchmen stole from the Filipino people and take the option of striking a compromise deal that would practically exonerate the Marcoses, thus perpetuating the culture of corruption and social injustice that it is supposed to address;
WHEREAS, the primary purpose of prosecuting the Marcoses is not simply to acquire their assets but to gain reparation for the damages that they have done to the country and the individual Filipinos and their families who were victimized by their dictatorial rule;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby resolved by the House of Representatives, that an investigation, in aid of legislation, be conducted on the compromise settlement being contemplated by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) with former First Lady Imelda Marcos over the ill-gotten wealth of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos wherein the PCGG seeks to absolve the Marcoses from their criminal and civil liability to the Filipino people.
Adopted,
Hon. LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES
Hon. MARIO “Mayong” JOYO AGUJA
Hon. ANA THERESIA HONTIVEROS-BARAQUEL
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