By Malcolm Brown
May 23, 2005
The Age

Lawyers for Vivian Alvarez Solon, the Australian citizen deported to the Philippines, have indicated they will advise her to seek compensation for pain, suffering and removal from her family despite her having said she would not seek compensation.

Harry Freedman, who had spent six days in the Philippines, travelling at his own expense, said yesterday he hoped the Government would offer a compensation package "but I'm sure that won't happen".

Ms Alvarez Solon, who had spent four years in a hospice in the Philippines after being wrongly deported in 2001, had previously said she did not want to go to court "if it could be avoided" but had not ruled it out.

"She did not raise the question of compensation itself but she asked me to give her advice on what is going to happen," Mr Freedman said. He said that what was needed was a facilitator to arrange the financial settlement.

Mr Freedman, 46, arriving from the Philippines early yesterday, said he believed Ms Alvarez Solon was entitled to compensation but he had no idea how much it should be. There were "too many facts to be sorted out and research to be done".

Negotiations were continuing about the timing of her return to Australia. There was no point in bringing her back if she had nowhere to go. "Until the end of last week, Vivian had no possessions," he said.

"She has access to medical care. But she still needs medication and she needs financial support. The Federal Government has been quick to acknowledge the error and the Australian consulate has done everything possible to make things easier for Vivian.

"She just wants to get back to Australia and work towards recovery and we will take it from there. She is just in my opinion feeling incredible relief, having left the hospice where she had the expectation she would die."

Ms Alvarez Solon wanted to see her half-brother and her two sons, nine and 17, in Brisbane.