Marcos victims want PCGG to stay

Almost 10,000 human rights victims opposed yesterday the proposal of former Solicitor General Francisco Chavez to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) for its alleged failure to fulfill mandate of running after the fabled Marcos wealth.

In a telephone interview, Akbayan partylist Rep. Loretta Anne Rosales, founder of the human rights group Claimants 1081, said Chavez proposal is uncalled for.

"Instead of abolishing the PCGG, the new administration of President Arroyo, should strengthen the powers of the PCGG to do its mandate in running after all the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses," she said.

Chavez earlier sought the PCGG’s abolition and transfer of its mandate to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"I don’t believe in abolishing the PCGG because under the leadership of PCGG Commissioner Jorge Sarmiento, the PCGG is doing well," Rosales said.

Rosales said that Chavez’ proposal to transfer the PCGG’s mandate to the DOJ is not logical.

"The DOJ is already loaded with strings of cases to be filed against deposed President Estrada. I don’t believed that the DOJ can take charge of another load of cases such as running after Marcoses ill-gotten wealth. This will be too much for the DOJ," she said.

Rosales added that the Marcoses have tried many times to talk with human rights victims and made empty promises.

"The Marcoses have tried to give us so many false assurances while they tried very hard to use their power to get their money deposited in various banks," she lamented.

The partylist lawmaker said that the heirs of the late dictator President Marcos are now on the rush to get hold of their wealth "because they knew that President Arroyo, daughter of the late Macapagal who is anti-Marcos, is determined to run after their ill-gotten wealth."

"The Marcoses are striving hard to get hold of their wealth because they knew fully well that President Arroyo has no sympathy with them. Unlike during President Ramos’ and Estrada’s administration who are sympathetic with the Marcoses. Estrada is a loyal ally of the Marcoses, while Ramos is a cousin and had worked with the late President Marcos. Ramos and Estrada maintained a certain level of sympathy to the Marcoses," Rosales said.

"President Arroyo is not about ready to enter into a onerous agreement with the Marcoses and that what made them rushed in to get their wealth to safety," she added. — Jose Rodel Clapano