HR board gets more time to resolve claims

MANILA, Philippines – The Human Rights Victims and Claims Board (HRVCB) now has two more years to resolve claims by victims of martial law abuses.

President Aquino recently approved Republic Act 10766, which modifies the sunset clause of RA 10368, the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013.

RA 10766 gives the board up to May 12, 2018 to resolve all claims for reparation or recognition and bring justice to victims of human rights violations during martial law.

The number of claims received by the HRVCB ballooned from 20,000 to 75,730 just before the November 2014 deadline for filing.

“We have already deliberated about 15 percent of the total claims received. Part of the task of our legal team is to reduce the deliberations into writing. They have been doing so since January,” board chairperson Lina Sarmiento said.

Sarmiento said the money will only be distributed once all 75,730 applications are resolved.

“The law requires that the computation of the value of reparations be based on the total number of points given, which we cannot determine prior to resolving all claims,” Sarmiento said.

The HRVCB is an independent quasi-judicial body created pursuant to RA 10368 to recognize and provide reparations to victims of human rights violations committed during the regime of former President Ferdinand Marcos.