Marcos Estate Held Liable for Atrocities

HONOLULU — A federal court jury Thursday found the estate of the late Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos liable for torture and other atrocities committed against political opponents during his rule.

It was the first class-action civil lawsuit in the United States claiming human rights violations in a foreign country.

A separate trial will be held on how much the estate must pay the plaintiffs. The lawsuit seeks damages of $2 million for each torture victim and $3 million for each of those killed or missing.

The trial was on a lawsuit filed on behalf of as many as 10,000 Filipino dissidents who said they were subjected to torture, murder, rape and imprisonment during the period from 1972 until Marcos’ overthrow in 1986. Marcos died in Honolulu in exile in 1989.

The figure of about 10,000 victims is based on evidence gathered by international and Philippine human rights groups, said the plaintiffs’ attorney, Sherry Broder. Lawyers for the Marcos estate disputed that figure.

William Johnson, a Marcos estate lawyer, didn’t deny that abuse and torture occurred during the period of martial law in the Philippines, but he said Marcos couldn’t be blamed for the actions of some military officials under him.

The 10-day trial was conducted before visiting U.S. District Judge Manuel Real of California.

There was no immediate comment on the ruling from officials in the Philippines.