Zarate urges House to prioritize bill seeking 2nd claims board for Marcos victims

MANILA, Philippines —  House Minority Leader Carlos Zarate on Tuesday pushed for the prioritization of a bill that would create a second claims board for reparations to people who are still not officially recognized as victims of the Marcos martial law regime.

Tuesday marked the 49th anniversary of the declaration of martial law.

House Bill No. 7678, was filed over a year ago, on Sept. 16, 2020.

READ: Marcos victims push for second claims board

According to Zarate, a Bayan Muna party-list representative, the bill will seek reparations for the victims of rights violations during martial law.

“It is also a way to compensate those who were not given compensation under RA (Republic Act) 10368,” Zarate said.

That law, which was enacted back in 2013, provides reparation and recognition of victims of summary execution, torture, enforced disappearances, and other gross rights violations committed under the regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos from 1972 to 1986.

The bill authors said that thousands of victims of human rights violations were not able to file their claims under RA 10368 due to various reasons.

According to the bill, only 6,000 were able to exercise their right to appeal of the 60,000 whose claims were denied by the Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB). Thus, about 50,000 of those who filed claims were not able to file their appeals.

“It is high time that justice and compensation should be given to the victims of the Marcos dictatorship because they have suffered enough and should not be subjected to another injustice,” Zarate said.

RELATED STORIES

Fast Facts: The Marcos martial law regime 

Marcos’ martial law: Golden age for corruption, abuses

atm