SELDA forms People's Claims Board, demands recall in BS Aquino's appointment of PNP general to recognize ML victims

A Statement from The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) forwarded by the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
February 18, 2014

SELDA announces the formation of the People's Claim Board, in protest of the Pres. Benigno Aquino III's appointment of a PNP general in the Human Rights Victims' Claims Board (HRVCB) to implement the law.

The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) has repeatedly urged the BS Aquino government to immediately form the claims board. On February 13, more than a week before the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 or RA 10368 turns a year old, the Aquino government through the Commission on Human Rights announced the appointment of PNP Retired General Lina Sarmiento as chairperson of the HRVCB. After a year of shutting off Martial Law victims, the Aquino government arbitrarily appoints a former police general.

BS Aquino's appointment of Sarmiento is a clear affront to martial law victims. Furthermore, it asserts that the appointment of an ex-PC officer to head the martial law claims board is tantamount to a shameless honoring of an atrocious martial law apparatus. The defunct Philippine Constabulary is the forerunner of the current Philippine National Police that has records of the gravest human rights violations during the dark days of Marcos dictatorship.

Pres. Aquino clearly disregards the provisions of the law which enumerated the qualifications of members of the HRVCB. Gen Sarmiento is bereft of credibility, much more, her deep knowledge of martial law atrocities and empathy to its victims is put into question since she is part of the institution accused of rampant human rights abuses during that period.

Apart from being a PC officer under Marcos, Sarmiento was the former head of the PNP's Human Rights Affairs Office during the Arroyo regime, which has the gravest post-martial law record of human rights abuses. This does nothing to merit her appointment. We express doubts that under Sarmiento's chairpersonship of Human Rights Victims' Claims Board will become an independent body.

In forming the People's Claims Board, SELDA makes this as a parallel body to act both as a watchdog and a monitoring body of Aquino's HRVCB. The People's Claims Board priority is to ensure that real and legitimate martial law victims will not be marginalized.

The members of the People's Claim Board are the following:

1. Saturnino "Satur" Ocampo – Satur was a former Representative of Bayan Muna Partylist and a co-author of House Bill 5990 or the Marcos Victims Compensation Bill, which would subsequently be enacted into law as RA 10368. He is currently the President of the Makabayan Coalition, a political coalition of Philippine progressive parties. He was among the thousands who suffered from various human rights violations during the Marcos dictatorship.

2. Ms. Amaryllis "Marie" Hilao-Enriquez – Marie, Chairperson of both SELDA and Karapatan, is a survivor of martial law. From her student days at the University of the Philippines up to the present, she has remained a staunch human rights defender. Marie, as a prominent leader of SELDA, led the organization of former political prisoners in the filing and proceedings of the class action suit against the former dictator Marcos in the US Federal Court in Honolulu, Hawaii. She is the daughter of one of the original plaintiffs in the Hawaii class suit. She likewise led the victims and their kin in the active lobby work for the enactment into law of the compensation bill that would indemnify and recognize the victims of martial law. She is a tireless human rights worker in engaging the various mechanisms of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

3. Mr. Bonifacio P. Ilagan – Boni, a multi-awarded writer, was twice arrested (1974 and 1994), tortured, and imprisoned. Boni's political activism is expressed, among others, through his writings. He is currently the Vice Chairperson of SELDA, one of the mandated organizations under RA 10368 to submit nominations for the Human Rights Claims Board.

4. Former Representative Liza L. Maza – As a member of the House of Representatives for nine years, Liza introduced and advocated for the legislation of a law recognizing and indemnifying victims of Martial Law. Ms. Maza, together with representatives Satur Ocampo and the late Crispin Beltran, filed the bill for victims of martial law, with due consultations with the victims, their relatives and lawyers.

5. Prof. Judy Taguiwalo – Judy teaches at the University of the Philippines. She heads the Department of Women and Development Studies of the College of Social Work and Community Development. She was a member of the UP Board of Regents from 2009-2010. She is the recipient of an outstanding alumna award from the UP Alumni Association. She was detained twice, in 1973 and in 1984, where she gave birth inside prison. She is a board member of SELDA.

6. Dr. Edelina P. De la Paz – Dr. Delen de la Paz is Associate Professor in the Dept. of Family Medicine at the UP College of Medicine. She is also the Vice Chief of the Social Medicine Unit at the same university. Dr. Delen de la Paz has been involved in various health and human rights related institutions and non-government organizations. She is a respected alumna of the UP College of Medicine.

7. Atty. Kit S. Enriquez – Atty. Kit is the President of the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers-Cebu Chapter and a member of the Board of Directors of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu from 2005-2011. Atty. Kit was arrested twice during martial law (1972 and 1975) and was heavily tortured by the military.

8. Atty. Dominador A. Lagare, Sr. – hails from General Santos in Mindanao and has been a practicing lawyer since 1973. He was appointed OIC Mayor of General Santos during President Cory Aquino's time. He has also served General Santos as city councilor for four terms. Atty. Lagare has been doing pro bono work for victims of human rights violations in the General Santos and Saranggani provinces. He teaches labor laws and negotiable instruments at the Mindanao State University.