Archimedes Trajano

Death On Wednesday, August 31, 1977, Trajano attended the open forum held at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila) where 21-year-old Imee Marcos, the eldest daughter of then-president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., was the speaker. During the forum, Trajano, who was also 21 years old at the time, questioned the appointment of Imee as the National Chairman of the Kabataang Barangay (National Youth Council). He asked, "Must the Kabataang Barangay be headed by the president’s daughter? She would not have gotten the position if she weren't the daughter of the president," which allegedly irritated Imee Marcos. Trajano was forcibly thrown out of the open forum, and was subsequently blindfolded, and then beaten by her bodyguards. The forum was where he was last seen alive. Marcos and Ver were charged with false imprisonment, kidnapping, wrongful death, and the deprivation of rights for Archimedes Trajano. Imee Marcos defended herself by claiming immunity under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. This act exempts foreign agents from prosecution. However, the court denied her arguments for two reasons: one, the crime was committed beyond the scope of her official work and duties, and; two, she did not act upon the authority of the government but acted on her own authority. The case exposed the faults of the act of state doctrine, and paved ways for similar suits to be filed.

Philippine court decisions However, Trajano was not able to receive the payment from Marcos because the Philippine Supreme Court barred the decision. The Trajanos attempted to collect the money by filing a case in the Pasig Regional Trial Court. The court summoned Marcos but she did not appear. The court subsequently ruled in favor of the Trajanos by default.