House pushes for unified bill on compensation to Marcos victims

The House human rights panel on Tuesday vowed to finally push for the approval of “a very long overdue measure" providing compensation to victims of human rights violations during the long regime of Ferdinand Marcos, amid assurances that the fund for the purpose is still intact. “This is a very long overdue measure, as far back as the 10th Congress. We apologize for the failure of the previous Congresses to approve this measure. We do not condone what happened, we are one with the victims and we promise to expedite the passage of this measure," Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos, chairman of the House human rights committee, said during a hearing on the matter. At least five bills are now pending before the committee, authored separately by Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman, Akbayan Reps. Walden Bello and Kaka Bag-ao, Bayan Muna Reps. Teddy Casino and Neri Colmenares, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano, Gabriela Reps. Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus, ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, and Kabataan Rep. Raymond Palatino. Relampagos approved the motion to create a technical working group (TWG) to reconcile the several bills. “I now recommend the formal organization of the technical working group tasked to consider the pending bills and come up with a consolidated or substitute bill," he said. Named to head the TWG was Tañada, with authors of the bills as his members. Also tasked to help in consolidating the bills were representatives from the Commission on Human Rights, the Presidential Human Rights Commission, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), and Samahan ng Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA). P10 billion fund still intact During the hearing, Nestor Floranda of DAR assured that P10.13 billion have been earmarked for the compensation of the Marcos victims. “The funds are still earmarked under the Agrarian Reform fund and under the custody of the Bureau of Treasury," Floranda told the committee. The DAR initially earmarked P8 billion for the purpose. The compensation bill was first filed during the 10th Congress (1995-1998) under the leadership of then Senate President Ernesto Maceda and then House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., but did not prosper. In the 14th Congress (2007-2010), the bill was not scheduled for debate and deliberation in the plenary even though it was declared as a priority legislation under the Arroyo administration. Tañada sees no problem with the passage of the compensation bill saying it was favored by President Benigno Aquino III. “President Aquino has given the go signal for the enactment of the law on this," he said. He expects to present a substitute bill on the matter when the Congress resumes session January next year. The House and Senate are set to adjourn session on December 15. Two decades in the making More than two decades ago, SELDA filed a class suit against Marcos, who was then exiled in Hawaii, for crimes against humanity. In September 1992, the US Federal District Court of Hawaii decided in favor of the 9,539 Filipino victims and ordered the Marcoses to pay the victims almost $2 billion in damages. In 1997, the Swiss Supreme Court ordered the transfer of $540 million Marcos ill-gotten Swiss deposits to an escrow account of the Philippine National Bank, in favor of the Philippine government, and the victims who filed the class suit in Hawaii be considered by the government in the release of the funds. Bebot Diaz, chief of staff of Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, said they will wait for a copy of the consolidated bill before issuing a comment on the matter. "Premature naman kung magbibigay kami ng reaksyon e wala pa namang consolidated bill [It would be premature for us to give a reaction when there is as yet no consolidated bill]," Diaz said.—JV, GMANews.TV