Palace denies reaching compromise deal with Marcoses

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday denied that the government has struck a compromise deal with the Marcoses after copies of the proposed agreement circulated online. 

 

Education advocate Gang Badoy Capati on Sunday posted on her Facebook account what appeared to be a compromise agreement between the government and the Marcoses.

 

Capati said the document, which was sent to her before midnight, seemed to be addressed to the Justice department and appeared to be proposing the possible grant of immunity to the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

 

The document, which appeared to have been drafted by the Lozano & Lozano-Endriano Law Office, was suggesting the creation of a legal team to study the government's compromise agreement with the Marcoses.

 

The document contained an acknowledgment letter signed by Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo. 

 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque denied however that the Duterte administration has forged a deal with the Marcoses. 

 

"There is no truth to the allegation that the government has reached a compromise agreement with the family of the late President Ferdinand Marcos," Roque said in a statement. 

Panelo confirmed that the document was sent to his office by Oliver Lozano, a Marcos loyalist, but Malacañang has not acted on it. 

 

"Our office as a matter of courtesy and policy acknowledges receipt of any letter coming from any citizen. No action has been taken on Attorney Lozano's proposal," Panelo said. 

 

Asked if a draft compromise deal has been completed, Panelo replied: "Nope. He (Lozano) submitted a draft, apparently he drafted. He wrote our office and attach that draft." 

 

"He has been submitting a lot of proposals and suggestions. Our office just acknowledges receipt of the same and thank him for his suggestions," he added. 

 

The document was sent to the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel last June, the acknowledgement letter showed. 

 

Last August, Duterte disclosed that the Marcos family has expressed willingness to return wealth accumulated during Marcos' decades-long presidency. He said the action of Congress is needed to begin the negotiations with the family of the former president, who was ousted by a popular revolt in 1986.

 

In a letter to President Duterte and coursed through Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre last Sept. 19, Lozano called for an "appropriate action" on the alternatives regarding the compromise deal.

 

The alternatives were compromise without congressional approval, compromise with optional congressional approval, and acceptance of donation from the Marcos family. 

 

"Vis-a-vis the current serious political, social and economic problems that beleaguer our country, we believe, Mr. President, that you can promptly act upon any of the three alternatives to use the huge Marcos wealth in order to promptly give unifying social justice for all through massive economic development and world-class rehabilitation as well as enable the government to pay its foreign and local debts leading to political liberation, 'economic emancipation and social concord," Lozano wrote. 

A document that appeared to be a draft executive order also lifts the executive order sequestering the Marcos wealth "in order to attain the public welfare objectives."

 

A page of the draft compromise deal was also attached in the document but it did not contain the proposed conditions. 

 

Also in the document is a draft "House bill" granting immunity to the Marcoses and allowing compromise to their sequestered assets. But the document resembled a congressional resolution rather than a bill. 

 

Resolutions generally express the sentiments of a chamber but do not have the strength of law.

 

"As to the supposed House bill granting immunity on the Marcoses and allowing compromise on their sequestered assets, the Executive, as we all know, recognizes the separation of powers and independence of Congress. We leave the matter to the House of Representatives to discuss and deliberate," Roque said.