Sunday, April 04, 2004
Etta to Sonny: Consider Marcos payments proposal
A BILL that seeks compensation for victims of Martial Law got stalled in the Senate by, among others, “deliberate obstruction” from Sen. John Henry Osmeña, a House lawmaker said yesterday.
Rep. Etta Rosales, who is seeking a third term as Akbayan party-list representative, appealed to the Cebuano senator to “be open and allow deliberations” on the bill, which she said has President Arroyo’s support.
“I am confident of Malacañang’s support. I am not confident of getting the same from the senator,” Rosales told reporters in a press conference in Cebu City yesterday.
Not obstruction
Senator Osmeña, however, took exception to the statement and said that all he wanted was a copy of the House-approved version, not the revised proposal that got sent to the Senate.
“In a legislative process, all views have to be considered for an intelligent discussion,” Osmeña told Sun.Star in a phone interview.
“I am very offended by the inclination of leftist groups to label any question or objection as obstructionism. I will not yield to their railroading,” he added.
Marcos legacy
House Bill 4535 seeks compensation for those who suffered illegal detention, involuntary disappearance, summary execution and involuntary exile from Jan. 1, 1969 to Feb. 25, 1986.
First read in March 2002, the bill was met with rough sailing, particularly from the Ilocano bloc that includes Ferdinand Marcos’ daughter, Imee. They said that in seeking to compensate a class, the bill violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
The House finally approved the bill on third and final reading last month, and sent it to the Senate.
The proposed law seeks to set aside, for victims’ claims, some P8 billion from the US$684 million now held in escrow in a government bank, and declared by the Supreme Court as part of the ill-gotten Marcos wealth.
An estimated 100 claimants from Cebu stand to benefit from the bill if it gets enacted into law, said lawyer Kit Enriquez, local coordinator of Claimants 1081.
The group named itself after Proclamation 1081, with which Marcos declared martial law. Claimants 1081 used to belong to a larger group, Selda, which won through a class suit in Hawaii an award of some $2 billion from the Marcos estate.
The award, to which some 9,500 persons are entitled, has remained unpaid for over a decade.
Who can claim?
While Enriquez described the bill as watered-down, he also said what was important was to have it passed so the money for claims can be appropriated before getting squandered by politicians.
Congresswoman Rosales said she was unable to discuss her bill with Senator Osmeña, but that she heard feedback that he “deliberately obstructed” it, such as by refusing to have it scheduled for the plenary.
“President Arroyo has been nagging me about this bill. She wants it passed into law. I appeal to Senator Osmeña, who is a guest candidate of the administration, for his and his constituents’ help,” Rosales said.
Osmeña, however, said one of his concerns was that the people behind the class suit were not the only ones victimized by Martial Law.
“Sen. Nene Pimentel, for example, is not one of those listed, so he would not qualify under that bill. On the other hand, leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines would be entitled,” Osmeña said.
One of his suggestions was for the creation of a compensation board that will study all claims, seek authentication or evidence, and make sure that compensation is equitable. IDA
(April 4, 2004 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
