​​CA suspends ruling on Marcos victims’ plea for damages

THE Court of Appeals has held in abeyance its ruling on the bid of a group of human rights victims during the Marcos regime to reverse a Makati Court’s ruling that dismissed their petition to recognize and enforce a 1995 US court ruling awarding them $1.9-billion in damages.

In a resolution, the appeals court 13th division through Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro opted to hold in abeyance the release of the ruling pending submission by lawyer Robert Sison and Most Law Firm of a written manifestation of their respective clients who may be, but not limited to Rep. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos and her son Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

The appeals court added that the counsels should indicate who is the lead counsel for the Marcos Estate.

“The defendant-appellee [Marcos Estate] must choose which of the two law firms is its lead counsel, and who is the collaborating counsel, if any,” the appeals court said.

In 1991, a complaint for damages was filed before the US District Court of Hawaii against the Marcos Estate by a group of Filipinos led by Priscilla Mijares, widow of journalist Primitivo Mijares who disappeared during the Marcos era.

The Alien Tort Act was invoked as basis for the US’ jurisdiction over the complaint, as it involved a suit by aliens for tortious violations of international law.

Four years later, the US court through Judge Manuel Real awarded $1,964,005,859.90 to the plaintiffs which was affirmed by the US Court of Appeals in 1996.

The plaintiffs then filed a case before the Philippine court to recognize the decision but was dismissed by the Makati court, prompting the parties to elevate it to the appeals court.

Aside from Mijares, among the petitioners were former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Commissioner Loretta Ann Rosales,  Hilda Narciso Sr., Mariani Dimaranan and film director Joel Lamangan.