Congress okays 'rights' victims bill

MANILA, Philippines -- The House committee on human rights, chaired by Bohol Rep. Rene Relampagos, has approved the human rights compensation bill that would benefit tens of thousands human rights victims during the two decades old Macros regime.

Known as the Human Rights Victims’ Compensation Act of 2010, the measure was recently approved by the House panel to provide assistance to some 10,000 victims of involuntary disappearances, torture, murders, rape, and harassment during martial law years.

The still unnumbered bill, which was a consolidation of five measures, provides for the creation of a seven-man commission that is tasked to oversee that all human rights victims are indemnified. Under the proposed Act, the commission will be given a fund of P10 billion to fund its operations, programs, and activities.

"The passage of the measure will affirm the moral and legal obligation of the State to grant them indemnification, which is a universally recognized fundamental principle of law, and is a crucial element to the basic human right to obtain redress for violations of substantive human rights and norms," said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño, who is among the authors of the bill.

Under the measure, those who shall be entitled to compensation are individuals who were determined to be victims of human rights violations such as warrantless arrest, arrest or detention carried out on the basis of an arrest, seize and seizure order (ASSO), a presidential commitment order (PCO), or a preventive detention action (PDA) which were illegally issued during the Marcos dictatorship from September 21, 1972 to February 25, 1986.

"The Philippines can do no less. Indemnification is an imperative step towards the administration of justice, the healing process of victims and society as whole, and to serve as a deterrent to future human rights violations," Casiño said. (Charissa M. Luci)


(2011-6-12/mb.com.ph)