Nothing definite on Marcos deal

MANILA - Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. on Thursday, January 4, denied saying President Rodrigo Duterte was amenable to a draft compromise deal with the Marcoses.

He clarified that he merely said the President could not enter into a compromise with the Marcos family because of the country's laws against plunder.

He also noted that Duterte could not negotiate with the Marcoses unless there is a law that will allow him to do so. "What I said during (Wednesday's) press briefing was that the Chief Executive needs a law authorizing him to enter into such agreement," the presidential spokesman said. Roque called out television network ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs for its "erroneous" report through radio DZMM on Wednesday night, January 3.

"I like to bring the attention of ABS-CBN

News and Current Affairs regarding the erroneous crawler on DZMM Teleradyo last night which reads, "Roque: Pabor si Pang. Duterte sa binuong kasunduan ni Lozano," which (is) said to be anchored from a news item aired on TV Patrol," Roque said in a statement.

The report on Wednesday night cited Duterte's purported openness to a compromise deal drafted by Marcos loyalist Oliver Lozano for the return of a portion of the Marcoses' alleged ill-gotten wealth.

It was Duterte who first revealed on August 29, 2017 that the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was inclined to return to the government a portion of their supposed hidden wealth, particularly a "few gold bars."

The President likewise raised the possibility on September 5 last year that the Marcos family might be granted immunity from criminal prosecution, in exchange for the return of some of their wealth. On Monday, January 1, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador "Sal" Panelo confirmed that his office received Lozano's proposal but stressed that "no action has been taken."

In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 2, Marcos' son and namesake, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., disowned the draft agreement.

Marcos said his family "has no knowledge or information on that apparent exchange and service of document between Attorney Lozano and the office of Secretary Sal Panelo."

Roque reiterated that Duterte could not greenlight Lozano's proposed compromise agreement as it was not sanctioned by the Marcoses.