Claimants to victims' fund surge to 75,000

Claimants to the recovered wealth of former President Marcos have ballooned to nearly 75,000. However, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has assured victims of a portion of the P10-billion indemnification fund set for distribution next year.

Less than 10,000 claimants had registered claims in May, the Philippine Star reported.

CHR chairperson Jose Luis Martin Gascon told journalists that the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board, composed of nine members, have divided themselves into three groups, each processing an average of 300 claims per day.

"That P10-billion fund would not be given pro rata. The share would depend on the degree of suffering related to martial law. There are equivalent points for the various degrees and nature of human rights violations against each claimant," he said

Gascon added that claimants whose claims are found to be fraudulent or insufficient would be struck off the list of beneficiaries.

Although there is a proposal to extend the deadline for claims processing, Gascon said he preferred to have them finalised before Human Rights Day, 10 December, next year.

"We must keep a balance because the supposed beneficiaries are already in their senior years," he said.

The Aquino government is giving P10 billion of the P168 billion that, so far, has been recovered by the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

Date: 17 September 2015

Source: Philippine Star