Lawyer Robert Sison said that based on his last conversation with Mrs. Marcos, the former first lady is open for negotiations for a Pacific settlement covering all disputed assets not only in the country but also in the United States and Europe.

"My client is open to a negotiation for everything. What we want is a Pacific settlement. That’s everything. Let’s finish this. I think it is the pragmatic approach rather than continue fighting over these assets," Sison said.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government’s (PCGG) openness for a compromise, according to Sison, is a "pragmatic approach" in ending the close to two decades of litigation of the disputed properties, saying Mrs. Marcos is very much "hopeful" that the "openness" of the officials of the PCGG would be a good start in discussing a settlement involving a surrender of the disputed assets in exchange for the dropping of the civil cases.

"She has a very positive outlook on this and she is hopeful that everything will be finished. If we can have it (settlement) tomorrow, then let’s have it tomorrow," Sison said.

Sison, however, maintained that the disputed assets and properties were not owned by Mrs. Marcos and that the government is going for a compromise agreement because it could not prove that former President Marcos’ widow is its owner.

"I think they are going for compromise because they can’t prove it (assets are owned by Marcos). But I can’t guess the purpose. We have to look at the whole situation. These are not really ill-gotten. She (Mrs. Marcos) is not saying it’s even hers, it’s the government saying that," Sison said.

"But one thing is certain, in the long years of litigating these cases, the government already sold some properties while still under litigation. It had no right to sell," he added, referring to two buildings in New York City which were sold in 1987. (JC Bello Ruiz)