Law’s delays in the Philippines

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 20

Law’s delays in the Philippines

From “The Economist,” London

The trial in the Philippines of 26 people accused of being involved in the murder of the Opposition leader, Benigno Aquino, in 1983, was due to end this month, but on November 19, the day before the special court said it would give its verdict, the Supreme Court ordered it not to. This court first wants to consider a petition, from several Filipinos, among them lawyers, former judges and businessmen, who accuse the prosecution of failing to present “a credible case” — in effect, of pulling its punches. The petitioners want the Supreme Court to order a retrial. The most important of the 26 defendants, all but one of them in the armed services, is the former chief of staff, General Fabian Ver. It had been widely assumed by those following the trial since it began in February that he would be acquitted. President Marcos has said that if General Ver, his former bodyguard and chauffeur, if cleared he will get his chief-of-staff job back. That decision has now been put off, to the relief of the United States. It prefers the acting chief of staff, Lieutenant-General Fidel Ramos, an American-trained professional. General Ramos is

credited with an improvement in the morale and discipline of the army in its fight against the communist guerrillas of the New People’s Army. The longer General Ramos remains in charge the better will be his prospects of being confirmed in the post. The official Philippine News Agency hinted this week that a new job might be found for General Ver, if he is acquitted, as a “consultant” in a reorganisation of the armed services. The future of the political opposition in the Philippines is even more obscure than that of General Ver. The opposition parties have been trying to agree on a single candidate to support in the premature president election that Mr Marcos has called, but Mrs Cecilia Palma, chairwoman of the Opposition’s “unification committee,” resigned on November 17 after a committee row. Mr Salvador Laurel, a possible candidate, was said to have called her “a dictator.” The election itself has been postponed from January 17 until February at the earliest. According to a Marcos spokesman, this is “to allow the opposition parties more time for campaigning" — and for arguing. Copyright, “The Economist.”