Former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares. SENATE FILE
MANILA, Philippines — Former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares on Thursday urged Congress to prioritize the creation of a law compensating persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) who are acquitted after being unjustly detained.
He issued the statement after Kalookan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David called for a law providing acquitted PDLs with an amount equivalent to the minimum wage, or around P20,000, for their time in detention.
Colmenares stressed that the current provision under Republic Act No. 7309, which caps compensation at P1,000 per month of detention, is “grossly inadequate.”
“The current law is insufficient to address the harm caused by wrongful imprisonment. A compensation law that provides fair and meaningful reparations is long overdue. Congress must act with urgency,” he said in Filipino.
READ: Cardinal David: Victims of unjust detention must be compensated
He also underscored that unjust detention constitutes a “grave violation of human rights” and imposes a moral and legal obligation on the government to compensate those affected.
“Innocent individuals wrongfully imprisoned should not just be released without justice—they should also be given adequate compensation for their lost time, opportunities, and dignity,” he said in Filipino.
The former lawmaker also highlighted the inhuman conditions in the country’s detention facilities and the plight of PDLs who are wrongfully detained.
“Our prisons are overcrowded, underfunded, and inhumane. Many individuals should not have been imprisoned in the first place—farmers, workers, youth, and activists falsely accused of fabricated charges,” he said in Filipino.
“For those who are acquitted, freedom alone is not enough. Justice requires that the state makes amends by compensating them and helping them rebuild their lives,” he added.
Colmenares likewise called for systemic reforms in the justice system to address the root causes of unjust detention. These include the slow disposition of cases, the lack of legal assistance for indigent PDLs, and the pervasive practice of red-tagging.
“What we need is genuine justice—not only for those falsely accused but also for all victims of systemic injustice. Let this be a step toward genuine justice and accountability in our country,” he said in Filipino.
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