SEN. Robin Padilla yesterday called on the administration to speed up the creation of the Marawi Compensation Board that will process the claims of the victims of the siege in 2017.
Padilla filed Senate Resolution No. 8 urging the government to create the Marawi Compensation Board since RA 11696 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022 became a law last April.
Since then, he said the government has yet to appoint the members of the compensation board.
“Since the passage of RA 11696 on 13 April 2022, victims of the Marawi Siege have been clamoring for the organization of the MCB … so it can forthwith perform its functions, organize, and promulgate the implementing rules and regulations,” Padilla said in the resolution.
Under the law, the President is to appoint a chairperson and eight members of the board.
Three of the members should be from the Philippine Bar and preferably Maranao lawyers while two are representatives of civil society organizations with at least one being a Sharia lawyer or a Muslim traditional leader. There should be one licensed physician, certified public accountant, educator, and licensed civil engineer.
“It has been five years since the Marawi Siege transpired and the victims are still awaiting the implementation of (Republic Act) 11696 in the hopes that they can finally return to and rebuild their homes after suffering as internally displaced persons for half a decade,” Padilla said.
“Now, therefore, be it resolved as it is hereby resolved, to urge the Office of the Executive Secretary to conduct the vetting process of the nominees that will compose the Marawi Compensation Board for purposes of their appointment by the President as provided under RA 11696 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022,” he added.
In May 2017, the ISIS-inspired Maute Group and Abu Sayyaf Group terrorists laid siege in Marawi City to establish an Islamic State base in Southeast Asia. The siege lasted for five months, with government forces killing the core leaders and most of the terrorists.
To compensate the victims of the siege, lawmakers crafted a measure that was later signed into law — RA 11696 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act.
