Lawyers and officials of the Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at para sa Amnestiya (Selda) discussed with government-designated representative lawyer Gaudencio Mendoza, Malacañang assistant for Legal Affairs, on how to go about the implementation of the compensation claims.

Marie Hilao-Enriquez, Selda secretary-general, said the rights victims submitted a copy of the proposed ''written instrument'' for the implementation of the GRP-NDF agreement on indemnification of the 10,000 human rights victims during the Marcos regime.

The rights victims filed and won a class suit against the estate of the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos.

They were awarded a total of $2.3 billion in compensation by a US court.

''It is our fervent hope that this instrument will be implemented the soonest so that the compensation shall be given in the most direct and quickest possible to every victim of their heir in accordance with the relevant Swiss Supreme Court decisions,'' Enriquez said.

Enriquez was accompanied by Selda Boar Board Member Vic Ladlad, Selda general counsel lawyer Romeo Capulong and lawyer Edre Olalia of the Public Interest Law Center in meeting with Mendoza and lawyer Vic Aranda.

Under the written instrument, Selda and its general counsel will represent the victims and relatives of human rights abuses through a special power of attorney (SPA).

The sharing of the amount due the victims shall be ''pro rata'' according to the magnitude of the amounts awarded by the US Federal Court System.

The principle to be followed in distributing the indemnification shall be jointly agreed upon between the Office of the President and Selda.

''It is Selda's moral authority to provide this kind of service to the victims and their heirs because it was Selda which initiated the class suit, provided and performed all the necessary support work, services and resources of lead counsel lawyer Robert Swift, for the successful litigation of the case,'' Enriquez said.

Mendoza and Selda agreed to finalize the implementing guidelines on the aspect of compensation.

The written instrument also stresses that the government would pursue criminal and civil cases against the Marcoses until they were prosecuted, convicted and jailed.

By Christine Herrera