Marcos human rights victims to get USD1,000 each

MANILA, Philippines – Victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime will get USD1,000 each as reparation, according to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

CHR Chairperson Etta Rosales said Sunday that the money, which amounts to around P45,000, will help around 7,526 victims and their families recover.

“It's not about the money. Of course, the money will help in a way, P45,000 din iyun. But ‘di ba after all these years, napatunayan na tama sila na naging biktima sila ng panga-abuso,” she explained.

A US federal judge in Honolulu earlier this week approved the distribution of USD7.5 million as part of a settlement to those tortured, detained, and killed under the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

The money comes from assets held in the US by Jose Yao Campos, a crony of Marcos in whose name the dictator allegedly bought land in Texas and Colorado.

Rosales said the CHR will announce details of the fund release next month.

“Karamihan sa mga claimant ay mga magsasaka, Muslim, maralita, at manggagawa so they are coming from a lot of places,” she said.

Rosales, however, explained that the commission has to iron out all the details before the money is released.

“We can't do that in a month. Remember that we are in the Philippines. We can't depend on our postal service to announce [the reparation package]” she added.

Atty. Rod Domingo, a lawyer of the human rights victims, said the amount is better than waiting for another decade.

"Rather than losing the case, we opted for settlement. At least may matatanggap sila," Domingo said.

The actual settlement amount is $10 million. The remaining $2.5 million will go to the lawyers and other expenses. – With a report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News


(2011-1-16/abs-cbnnews)