PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said Tuesday that he will need Congress' approval to allow him to negotiate for the return of the ill-gotten of the family of late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
On the sidelines of 55th anniversary of Metrobank, the President said he could not decide on his own on the impending negotiations between the government and the Marcos family.
Duterte said Congress has to formulate a law that would provide "special arrangement" for the return of a portion of Marcoses' properties that were believed to be ill-gotten.
He specifically mentioned the immunity arrangement with the Marcos family, noting that they might not turn over the gold bars if no conditions are met with the government.
"I cannot act on it independently of the other branches of government. There is the Supreme Court. There's a case pending to the recovery, of course. It's not only one; there are many," Duterte told reporters at Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City.
"And then, you have to have the consent of Congress because we have to formulate a law. What is the arrangement? You are asking for what? Immunity if you return? That's a long process. It does not belong to me. It was just a signal from the Marcoses that they will bring back what the people are believing to be theirs," he added.
On September 2, Duterte said congressional approval is required to start the negotiations on the return of Marcos wealth since that is "money to be recovered by the government of the Philippines."
This was Duterte's statement after he announced on August 29 that the Marcoses are willing to return portion of their belongings, including a "few gold bars."
The late President Marcos and his family were accused of amassing public funds during his 20-year autocrat rule.
Duterte said an immunity deal between the national government and Marcos family should be agreed upon, in order to have a smooth transaction on turning over the gold bars.
He, however, clarified that the Marcoses are not asking for immunity.
"Marcoses would not agree to return it if you put them behind bars. So I said you have to craft a law on that, and that is [to provide] immunity," Duterte said.
"Give them immunity, fine. Don't give them immunity fine. But they will not return it," he added. (VoxPop Philippines)
