FAIR SYSTEM | About time to raise compensation for victims of unjust imprisonment, says Escudero

May 15, 2023 , 02:12 PM

By Beatrice Puente

(May 15, 2023) – Sen. Chiz Escudero on Monday urged his colleagues to expedite the approval of a measure that seeks to raise the compensation of victims of unjust imprisonment and violent crimes since the current rates are already three decades old.

Escudero said Senate Bill No. 884, which he filed last July, is still pending at the committee level. Aside from the justice and human rights panel, the proposal will also be scrutinized by the committee on social justice, welfare, and rural development and the committee on finance.

His proposal specifically aims to amend a portion of the Republic Act (RA) No. 7309 that created the Board of Claims under the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“The compensation provided, as well as the funds allocated, since its creation in 1992 have remained the same and thus proved insufficient as proper compensation at present times,” said Escudero in his latest statement on the issue.

Under RA 7309, the victims of unjust imprisonment or detention can only get a maximum of P1,000 per month. Escudero wants to raise this to P10,000.

In other cases, the law said the board may allow a higher claim worth P10,000 to help offset the cost of “hospitalization, medical treatment, loss of wage, (and) loss of support or other expenses directly related to injury.” If the hospitalization cost was below P10,000, the lower amount will be granted.

But Escudero wants to push the amount to P50,000. His bill also wants the government to reimburse whichever is higher between the amount indicated in the law and the actual amount of expenses.

“Any person entitled to compensation under this act must, within six months after being released from imprisonment or detention, or from the date the victim suffered damage or injury, file his claim with the department, otherwise, he is deemed to have waived the same,” read Section 5 of RA 7309.

SB No. 884 also said the annual funding sourced from the net income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation must be increased from 1% to 3%.

Another 3% must come from “proceeds and sales and other disposition and military camps in Metro Manila by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.” Originally, the share was only 1%.

“To ensure the continuity of the funding requirements under this act, the amount of P30 shall be set aside from each filing fee in every civil case filed with the court, the total proceeds of which shall constitute the victim’s compensation fund to be administered by the DOJ,” added the bill.

Escudero recognized this amount won’t be enough to fully compensate wrongfully imprisoned individuals, but he noted its importance to push for a more just system for everyone.

“The law is already 31 years old. Ang halaga ng mga kompensasyon na nakasaad sa batas na ito ay hindi na makatarungan para sa mga biktima sa kasalukuyang panahon,” stressed Escudero.

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