Inclusion of victims asked in finalizing martial law compensation bill

MANILA, Philippines - Political detainees group Selda on Wednesday urged members of the House of Representatives to allow human rights victims to be heard for the planned harmonized version of a law to compensate victims during the Marcos dictatorship.

"Our efforts have brought us to this juncture where the Marcos Victims’ Compensation Bill is on the threshold of being enacted into a law. However, we still have to continue to lobby for the law to reflect the victims’ voices," Selda Chairperson Marie Hilao-Enriquez said.   

Enriquez said Selda, the human rights group that spearheaded the filing of a class suit against the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos in Hawaii in 1986, welcomed the passage of the bill on third reading in the Senate last Dec. 17.

But the group members continue to lobby for the bill's passage as the lower house has yet to pass its version.

In a position paper submitted to legislators last year, Selda members have been pushing for the  several proposals, including the recognition of the original 9,539 victims and class suit plaintiffs to be included in the proposed law.

"So long as implementers of martial law remain unpunished, we will not tire of seeking justice for their victims," Enriquez said.