CHR lauds Senate, House resolutions on funds for Martial law victims
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) hailed the resolutions passed at the House of Representatives and the Senate extending the validity of funds allotted for the victims of various human rights violations under the Marcos martial rule.
The resolutions also authorize the CHR to administer the distribution of funds after the mandate of the Human Rights Victims Claims Board expired on May 12, the commission said in a statement on Wednesday.
The CHR reiterated its support for any measure that will help grant the victims of martial law financial reparation.
“Similarly, the commission would welcome and support the issuance of an executive order by the Office of the President that would seek to provide an immediate cure for the current hurdle in distributing the said financial reparations,” the CHR said.
The Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 mandated the distribution of recovered ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses amounting to P10 billion plus interest.
The CHR, however, said a number of human rights victims have yet to claim and encash their checks.
“To date, a number of cheques have yet to be encashed for varying reasons, but the funds for financial reparation with the Landbank of the Philippines will be reverted to the Bureau of Treasury by August 11, 2018,” it said.
“It would be an injustice against them to have gone this far, but fall short on claiming their financial reparation because of certain policies that work against their benefit,” the CHR added.
On Tuesday, House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights adopted at the committee-level the joint resolution filed by Rep. Carlos Zarate extending the validity and availability of funds allotted for victims of human rights abuse under the Marcos martial rule.
A same resolution was filed by Senator Chiz Escudero in the Senate and will also be up for deliberations.
The CHR will then wait for President Rodrigo Duterte to issue an order authorizing the commission to distribute funds for Martial Law victims. /vvp
