Roque: Marcos compromise deal may go against ‘equal protection clause’

A law on a compromise agreement on the alleged ill-gotten wealth between the government and the Marcos family may violate the equal protection clause under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB said a compromise deal might face legal challenges once discussed in Congress.

“Marami pong pagsubok diyan ‘no para magkaroon ng ganyang batas at hindi naman pupuwede na magkaroon ng batas para sa mga Marcoses lamang. Iyan po ay lalabag doon sa tinatawag nating equal protection law,” he added.

Duterte previously said Congress needed to craft a law to detail the arrangements of a compromise deal with the heirs of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, including the possibility of waiving the family’s criminal liabilities.

“Malinaw po ang Presidente, hindi po iyan desisyon ng Presidente lamang, iyan po ay desisyon ng Kongreso dahil mayroon po tayong mga batas na nagpapataw ng parusa kapag ho ito ay guilty ng pandarambong ‘no,” Roque said.

On Monday, Malacañang clarified that the government and the Marcos family have not reached an agreement on the ill-gotten wealth. But it confirmed that lawyer and Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano had sent a draft compromise agreement to the office of chief presidential legal counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo.

Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. already disowned Lozano’s draft. 

“As a point of information, Attorney Oliver Lozano does not represent any member of the Marcos family or the estate of the late President Ferdinand Marcos,” he said in a statement.

Duterte in August 2017 said that the Marcoses are willing to return their alleged ill-gotten wealth, a few gold bars included, amassed during the time of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. — MDM, GMA News