By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, Feb. 26 (PNA) – President Benigno Aquino III has approved a joint resolution by Congress extending the period of filing of human rights claims by martial law victims by six more months.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. on Thursday said the President signed the Congress’ Joint Resolution No. 03 on Feb. 17, 2015.
Coloma said the extension of the filing of claims from Nov. 10, 2014 to May 2015 will ensure that the goals and objectives of the Republic Act No. 10368, otherwise known as The Human Rights Victims Repatriation and Recognition Act of 2013 are achieved.
Under the joint resolution, the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board will have six months to process the remaining claimants.
The huge number of applicants from the regions and provinces have posed a big challenge to the existing and available materials and human resources of the board.
”The extension of the application period will give all legitimate claimants, especially in the far-flung areas of the country, full opportunity to file their claims,” stated in the joint resolution.
According to the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), a coalition of human rights groups, the HRVCB had received only around 29,000 claims as of October last year.
PAHRA chairman Max de Mesa said the board expected about 55,000 to 90,000 more applications to be processed. (PNA)