$150-M SETTLEMENT: Extend deadline, FM kin ask Hawaii court

BATAC, Ilocos Norte -- Gov. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. disclosed that legal moves are being exerted to extend the April 24 deadline for the resolution of the $150-million settlement agreement with human rights claimants.

The move, if granted by the Honolulu, Hawaii district court which heard the claimants' case, will be the third extension of the deadline. The April 24 deadline lapsed with no resolution of the $150-million award.

"Somebody's working on the extension of the deadline," Marcos told The STAR after addressing the regional Agrikulturang Makamasa festival which opened here Monday.

"Everybody's waiting (for the claim to be resolved) pero wala talaga (there's nothing really)," he said, sounding disappointed.

The resolution of the issue was pinned on the Sandiganbayan which had maintained that the $150 million cannot be paid out of the $620-million Marcos Swiss funds held in escrow at the Philippine National Bank.

Government and Marcos lawyers have filed appeals urging the Sandiganbayan to allow the payment of the award from the escrow funds.

Marcos, who is part of President Estrada's entourage in China, did not give any indication if he would discuss the matter with the President.

He said Mr. Estrada invited him to join the trip to China where, according to Marcos' spokesman Lito Gorospe, the governor has cultivated a number of politician-friends and allies.