Militant group wants bill on Marcos victims certified as urgent

MANILA, Philippines - A militant group composed of detainees during the martial law period yesterday urged President Aquino to certify as urgent the Marcos Victims Compensation bill to give justice and compensation to victims of human rights abuse during the martial law era.

Former Rep. Satur Ocampo, national board member of the Samahan ng mga Ex-detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA), said the proposed legislation will officially recognize the occurrence of human rights violations by the Marcos government.

The bill has been pending in the past congresses. 

The group had initiated the filing of an historic class action suit in Hawaii in 1986 seeking compensation for the 9,539 petitioners claiming to have experienced human rights violation during the martial law era. 

Last week, a US federal court approved the distribution of $7.5 million, or $1,000 each to 7,526 petitioners. The funds came from a $10-million settlement of a case against individuals controlling Texas and Colorado land bought with Marcos money.

The group, however, questions the delisting of 2,013 victims from the list by lead counsel Robert Swift.

“We reiterate that while we welcome this development, we raise questions as to how the court-appointed lawyer Attorney Robert Swift has considered the victims’ views on the case. We call on Attorney Swift to attend the SELDA consultations that will arrange for him to sufficiently answer the questions of the martial law victims,” said Ocampo, who was a political detainee during the martial law era.

SELDA secretary-general Fr. Dionito Cabillas said their office would entertain questions from recipients of the funds of the settlement agreements. They can also update their contact information.

The group is set to hold an assembly in the last week of January or the first week of February. – With Rainier Allan Ronda