Posted by Attorney David J. Gubbins, /guardian ad litem/ (legal guardian), told this reporter that the 30 minors, who will benefit from the $165-M court-supervised settlement, will get the compensation in annuity.
This means the compensation will be released to them in lump sum or once a year until they reach the age of 30 or for the next nine years. ‘This is tax-free.’ Gubbins, 62, however, said that if these minors would need the compensation for emergency, such as for education and medical expenses, he will petition the court about the need and the court will make a ruling whether to grant the request or not. The minor beneficiaries are survivors of those relatives, who were among the 131 passengers and crews, who died in the crash of Flight 541 off the hilly Samal Island near Davao City eight years ago next month. A minor will receive approximately $1.5-M each, less the attorney’s fees of around 30 percent. The 21 other survivors, who did not join the class action suit of the 110, opted to receive $20,000 to $25,000 offered by Air Philippines to settle court action shortly after the plane crash.
To obtain the compensation, the lawyers for the survivors will file a petition separately for each survivor before Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Duncan-Brice, who will approve or disapprove the petition for compensation.
