The U.S. Court of Appeals announced it will decide the case of a lawsuit filed by Filipino war veterans challenging the denial of veteran benefits from the United States, reports the Inquirer.
45,000 filed for claims under a bill signed by President Obama in 2009, but 25,000 of those claims were denied because their records were left off the National Personnel Record Center’s list. Among the veterans denied was Romeo de Fernandez, the named plaintiff in the case. He walked with thousands of other Filipino and American veterans in the Bataan Death March(pictured).
He has been awarded two bronze stars for his service and numerous other honors. He is now 96 and in deteriorating health. You can read his thoughts on this matter in the Inquirer.
