PRESS STATEMENT                                                                                                     REFERENCE: Marie Hilao-Enriquez
23 January 2004                                                                                                                                       Secretary General

Disappointed over continuing inaction of Congress to enact HB4535 into law

Marcos human rights violations victims vow to be vigilant
   

Martial Law human rights violations victims vowed that they would remain vigilant against those who have grand designs over the $683 Million Marcos loot.

SELDA or the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya expressed dismay over the continued inaction of the House of Representatives to enact HB4535 into a law that would guarantee the safety of the money and ensure its distribution to the human rights violations victims and CARP farmers.

Recent news of the Supreme Court ordering Sandiganbayan to execute the writ of transfer of the Marcos ill-gotten wealth to the Philippine Government had both Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Joe De Venecia immediately promising to quickly facilitate the enactment of House Bill 4535 and Senate Bill 1877. However, last Wedenesday, Congress failed to approve the compensation bill, which is on its third and last reading.

The writ of execution to transfer the funds from the Philippine National Bank to the Philippine National Treasury will be served today by the Sandiganbayan . SELDA reiterates its call to the GMA administration not to dip its hands into the funds and use these for the forthcoming elections.

SELDA members who were in Congress at that time reported that maneuverings from the Marcos camp was very much evident and was a factor in the delaying of the third reading of HB4535, Marcos loyalists in the House led in sabotaging the chances of the bill on the floor that day.

"How serious then is this administration in retrieving the money and thereby serving justice to the thousands of human rights violations victims of that most dreaded part of our history?" asked Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Secretary General of SELDA. "As it is this administration has not shown any strong political will, only lip service."

In this light, SELDA called on all Martial Law Human Rights Violations Victims and all Filipinos to be vigilant over the Filipino people's money. "Contrasting moves and declarations only indicate that the Macapagal-Arroyo Government has no intentions of serving justice and indemnification to the Martial Law human rights violations victims." Enriquez declared.

SELDA members are giving the House of Representatives and the Senate until February 6, Congress' last day before the start of the election campaign period, to pass the compensation bill as repeatedly promised by Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Jose de Venecia. "We will not cease in keeping the pressure, "Enriquez promised. "The Filipino people are watching. All eyes are on those who seek not the Filipino's interests but their own."###