Aguirre says proposed Marcos compromise deal not tackled by Cabinet

January 4, 2018

A proposed compromise agreement between the government and the heirs of the late President Ferdinand Marcos has not been tackled by the Cabinet.

That has not been tackled in the Cabinet. I could not say anything about it because I have never seen it yet," said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II in a media briefing Thursday.

Aguirre said he has not received any order from President Rodrigo Duterte to review any compromise agreement with the Marcoses.

"We received no instructions from any higher ups. In other words, we are completely ignorant about it," he said.

Aguirre said if the justice department would be ordered to review this, he would do it.

"If it reaches us, it is just our obligation to read anything that was filed before us or sent before us. Bur there is no special effort to get it or read it, or to have anything or comment about it," Aguirre said.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said earlier the Palace had received a copy of the draft agreement from Oliver Lozano, a lawyer associated with the Marcoses last year.

Roque said no deal has been made with the Marcos family to return part of their ill-gotten wealth to the government. He said the Palace has not even acted on the proposal from Lozano. DMS