by Mindy Aguon

Guam - COLA retirees are nearing the end of landmark litigation as the government has promised yet again to make good on giving what is owed to them. Today COLA class counsel Mike Phillips voluntarily dismissed the counts against Department of Administration Lou Perez that dealt with the COLA certificate issue.

As well, Phillips waived the attorney's fees that DOA owed him under the COLA Relief Statute.

Should the government deliver the COLA certificates to his office, Phillips says they will also drop the remaining cases against the government. The COLA certificates are being mailed out and each contains the amount owed to each retiree of the Government of Guam and will earn interest at the rate of 7%.

But COLA recipients like Frank Hill aren't satisfied just yet, as he told KUAM News, "They've taken the 10% out of our money when we were given our check. Why haven't they given it to Mr. Phillips, what they do with that? Are they taking that and earning interests on that and using the money? What happened to the 15%, where did it go? I wish they would answer that."

Phillips is still owed for his work on the more than decade-old case, as the Guam Legislature only allowed for half his attorney fees be provided in a COLA certificate. The remainder must come through promissory notes from the government.