Inaprubahan ng Senado sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang joint resolution na layong palawigin ng karagdagang anim na buwan ang deadline sa paghahain ng claims ng mga biktima ng martial law.
Sinabi ni Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, pinuno ng Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights at sponsor ng Senate Joint Resolution No. 10, na ito ay magbibigay sa martial law victims ng mas maraming oras upang maghain at makakuha ang repatriation at kompensasyon sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 10368.
Ang Republic Act No. 10368, kilala rin bilang Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013, ay partikular na nagbibigay ng reparation para sa mga biktima ng human rights violations noong rehimen ng martial law.
“The Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB) has encountered an unprecedented number of claims from human rights victims. Due to the sheer number of the applications, compounded by the board’s undermanned staff, the Board may not be able to accomplish its duties within the period prescribed by law,” pahayag ni Pimentel sa kanyang sponsorship speech.
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“So as not to duly prejudice our aggrieved countrymen for whom RA 10368 was primarily enacted, and to accord the HRVCB sufficient period to discharge its statutory duty, the HRVCB should be allowed to extend the period to accept human rights victims’ claims for another six months from November 10, 2014 or until May 11, 2015,” giit niya.
Ang Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) ay una nang nagsabi na ang HRVCB ay nakatanggap lamang ng 29,000 claims Oktubre nitong taon.
Sinabi ni PAHRA chairman Max de Mesa na inaasahan na makatatanggap ng 55,000 hanggang 90,000 pang aplikasyon na ipoproseso. - Hannah L. Torregoza
