Tañada says gov’t must ensure compensation for martial law victims

MANILA, Philippines — The victims of human rights abuses during the martial law era must be assured of compensation, former Deputy Speaker Lorenzo ‘Erin’ Tañada said on Friday.

“We jointly worked to get the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 passed while I was in Congress, and we know how difficult the battle was. I hope that the human rights victims will be able to fully avail of their monetary reparation with this extension,” Tañada said in a statement.

This was after President Rodrigo approved the maintenance, availability and release of funds for martial law victims until the end of this year.

Duterte signed a joint Senate and House resolution on Feb. 22, which mandated the Bureau of Treasury and the Land Bank of the Philippines “to release the funds and ensure the payment of the claims” and “authorized the Commission on Human Rights to administer its effective distribution.”

READ: Duterte extends compensation period for martial law victims

Tañada then noted that Duterte’s approval of the extension of the victims’ claims must help remind the President about the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses.

“The President’s acknowledgment of the claims of human rights victims should serve as a reminder to him about the Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth. The government is getting the money for this reparation from the recovered ill-gotten wealth from the United States and Switzerland,” Tañada said.

In 1990, the Swiss Federal Supreme Court affirmed a prosecutor’s findings that the Marcos family hid $356 million in Swiss banks through dubious foundations during their two-decade rule. /ee