Rights claims board ends operations today

MANILA, Philippines — As the body formed to process compensation claims by human rights victims during martial law ends its operations, qualified but unsatisfied claimants also have until today to try to file an appeal.

The Human Rights Victims Claims Board (HRVCB) recently uploaded on its website the final list of 11,103 approved “Human Rights Violation Victims for Republic Act (RA) 10368 or An Act Providing for Reparation and Recognition of Victims of Human Rights Violations during the Marcos Regime, Documentation of said Violations, Appropriating Funds therefore and for other purposes.”

HRVCB chair Lina Sarmiento said they are rushing work at the office and did not even have time to engage the approved claimants in a simple ceremony.

Immediately after the list was uploaded, the HRVCB website crashed but went back online on Wednesday.

“It is possible that so many could have been trying to access the website at the same time,” Sarmiento said.

She explained that even if there could be appeals or complaints following the release of the list, they could not act on it because of time constraints.

“Even if we would want to, it is not possible. We have to abide by the law, and that’s what the law says. We tried our best, we did our job,” Sarmiento added.

She said the amounts of compensation ranged from P176,000 to P1.76 million. Funds for the compensation would come from the P10 billion in Swiss bank deposits seized by the government from the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Compensation amounts would be proportionate to crimes committed against claimants. A total of 75,730 claims were filed with the board but only 11,103 have been approved.

Sarmiento said the board has been very careful with checking and scrutinizing papers submitted by claimants since there were reportedly those who falsified documents.

“We prioritize those found as eligible claimants,” she said.