Joker slams appointment of retired cop to HR claims board

MANILA, Philippines - As the country marks the 28th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, former human rights lawyer and Senator Joker Arroyo continues to hit Palace over the appointment of a retired police general to the claims board.

“Malacañang said the President has a 'thorough understanding and appreciation of the mandate of the Board.’ The apprehension of the human rights community is as to the qualification of General Sarmiento, not that of the President,” Arroyo said in a statement.

Arroyo is opposing the appointment of retired police general Lina Sarmiento as head of the Human Rights Claims Board, saying that the appointment of a police general is a brazen travesty of the legacy of the human rights movement.

Arroyo also dared the Palace to re-assure the public that the money accorded the human rights victims during martial law remained intact in the government coffers.

“However, it would reassure everyone if Malacañang could confirm that the monies allocated to fund the monetary claims of the human rights victims under the Human Rights Reparation and Recognition Act are still intact,” the former senator added.

When he was still senator, Arroyo would ask the National Treasurer about the status of the $200 million set aside to benefit the human rights claimants.

“But every year in the budget hearings, the National Treasurer was asked to confirm that the $200 million or its peso equivalent with accrued interest was maintained as a separate account and not comingled with other monies of the Treasury,” he added. 

The Human Rights enabling Act was transmitted by Congress to the President on Feb. 21, 2013. The President promptly signed it into law three days after. 

“The law could not be implemented until the president appointed the chair and members of the adjudication board, a full year after the law was signed,” said Arroyo, who was among the prime movers who sought for the approval of the law.

“The campaign for human rights victims has traveled a long and tortuous path,” he added. 

When the Swiss Government decided to send over to the Philippines the Marcos deposits in the Swiss banks, Arroyo recalled that the Department of Agrarian Reform immediately claimed that under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, all ill-gotten wealth recoveries should go to Agrarian Reform. 

Fortunately, the Swiss Supreme Court decision on the matter suggested the Philippine Government make provision for human rights victims. This prompted the government to set aside $200 million (P10 billion then) from the Swiss recovery for the human rights victims.

That done, Arroyo recalled that a bill  was sponsored in the Senate in the 13th Congress (2004-2007) and a counterpart measure was introduced in the House. A Senate-House Bicameral Conference Committee was formed to reconcile differences and a Bicam Report was submitted to both Houses. 

The Senate ratified the Bicam Report, the House inexplicably dribbled it until the last day of the session of the 13th Congress. Then it was calendared alongside so many other Bicam Reports to be ratified. The session was abruptly adjourned and it spelled the demise of the stranded Human Rights Bill. 

The experience dulled the prospects of re-introducing the bill in either House in the 14th Congress (2007-2010). The measure was eventually passed in the 15th Congress.