Duterte extends distribution of claims for rights abuse victims

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension until the end of the year of the maintenance, availability and release of funds for victims of human rights abuses during the Marcos regime.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Thursday that the President approved Congress' joint resolution meant to ensure that all legitimate claimants under Republic Act 10368 (Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013) could get monetary reparations.

Last August, the House of Representatives passed Joint Resolution 26, and in November last year the Senate adopted Joint Resolution 13. 

On May 11, 2018, the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB) approved and duly recognized a total of 11,103 legitimate claimants out of the more than 75,000 applicants.

But it was only able to resolve 6,737 appeals last May 6, six days before the expiry of its existence on May 12, 2018.

By June 28, 2018, the HRVCB account with the Lank Bank of the Philippines (LBP) reported a balance of P792.629 million. The amount can only be maintained until August 11, 2018, after which the money would be reverted to the Bureau of Treasury.

However, there were reports from several approved claimants’ relatives that they failed to have their checks encashed, even with the issuance of Special Powers of Attorney.

Medialdea lamented the delay in the release of compensation to human rights claimants.

“It took them so many years, natengga, kasi mahirap daw mag-interview. Sabi ko ‘mag time and motion tayo diyan, isang victim. Kaya niyong tapusin ng isang taon ‘yan eh,’” he told reporters.

He also took issue with the membership of the claims board, which is attached to the Commission on Human Rights headed by Chito Gascon, a critic of police methods in Duterte’s war on drugs.

“Sila Gascon, di ba member? Bakit hindi nila ginawa ‘yan noong araw pa?” Medialdea said.

In particular, the joint resolution targets those who were issued with checks by the LBP.

Under the measure, the Bureau of Treasury and the LBP are authorized to release the funds and ensure payment of the claims.

It also authorizes the Commission on Human Rights to administer the effective distribution of the funds to qualified victims, their heirs, or representatives.

The funds for the compensation of the victims of human rights abuses come from Marcos’ P10-billion secret Swiss bank deposits that the government had recovered.

Duterte, however, raised doubts about allegations that former President Ferdinand Marcos amassed ill-gotten wealth of up to $10 billion during his two-decade rule that ended in a bloodless civilian uprising in 1986.

Duterte's admission came despite the recovery of P171 billion worth of ill-gotten wealth from the Marcoses and cronies of the former strongman, who died in exile in Hawaii in 1989.   —LBG, GMA News