The government is investigating whether to act on murder allegations lodged with state prosecutors against former first lady Imelda Marcos and two relatives, officials said Friday.
The complaints allege Marcos, daughter Irene and son-in-law Gregorio Araneta were responsible for soldiers opening fire during the demolition of squatter camp in 1985.Two people, ages 12 and 17, were killed and 20 wounded during the incident at a shanty village in metropolitan Manila.
Marcos at the time was minister of human settlements and governor of metropolitan Manila. She had ordered troops to dismantle the settlement, which allegedly was on land owned by Araneta.
The complaints were filed Thursday by Patricio Mamot, a former aide to President Corazon Aquino and Clarita Sanchez, mother of the 17-year-old victim, Shinataro Sanchez.
In her affidavit, Sanchez said she saw soldiers aiming their assault rifles at fleeing residents and firing.
The Quezon City prosecutor's office said it had assigned a lawyer to the case to explore whether there was enough evidence to file charges.
The widow of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos returned from U.S. exile Nov. 4 and this week announced her candidacy for president in May general elections.
Her lawyer said the former first lady, who faces a litany of graft and corruption chargers, laughed when told of the murder allegations.
"These are nothing," said Dean Coronel. "They are throwing the book at her to try and discourage her from running for president.
"I called her as soon as I heard just to tell her she had nothing to worry about and she just laughed."
While Coronel said Marcos, 62, could not be charged in the case because she was not present during the incident, a government legal expert disagreed.