Senate resolution on extension of fund availability for Marcos-era victims up for approval

By Camille A. Aguinaldo, Reporter
THE Senate committee on justice and human rights, chaired by Senator Richard J. Gordon, has recommended the extension of the availability of funds for victims of human-rights violations during the Marcos regime.
In Committee Report 495, Mr. Gordon asked his colleagues to approve without amendments the Senate Joint Resolution No. 13 extending the availability of funds for the said victims until December 2019.
The resolution was filed by Senator Francis G. Escudero and Senate President Ralph G. Recto last Aug. 6. The House of Representatives’ version was approved by the chamber on Aug. 29.
The Senate joint resolution seeks to extend the maintenance, availability and release of billions of funds deposited at the Land Bank of the Philippines. It also aims to ensure that all legitimate claimants under Republic Act No. 10368 or the Human Rights Victims and Recognition Act of 2013 will receive monetary reparations.
The Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB) has already approved 11,103 claimants to receive compensation.
The claims will be sourced from the P10 billion transferred to the Philippine government from the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in 1997. The Supreme Court (SC), in 2003, ruled that the P10 billion obtained by the late strongman Ferdinand E. Marcos was “ill gotten wealth.”
Mr. Escudero in his resolution also cited HRVCB’s account with the LANDBANK as having a balance of P792.63 million. The amount would only be maintained until Aug. 11 after which it would be reverted to the Bureau of Treasury.
He also cited reports that some claimants’ relatives were not able to encash their checks even with a special powers of attorney component.
“It is of utmost urgency that said funds be effectively distributed to those found qualified by the HRVCB and that relevant government agencies and bodies notably the Commission on Audit, the Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Bureau of Treasury should coordinate and cooperate to ensure that said effective distribution be speedily accomplished,” the resolution stated.