CHR lauds House adoption of Marawi siege compensation

bill
By: Gabriel Pabico Lalu - Reporter / @GabrielLaluINQ
INQUIRER.net / 07:04 PM February 16, 2022

(FILE) The bullet-ridden Mindanao Islamic Center (balcony photo), in a photo

taken in 2017, stands amid ruined structures following the five-month war
between government troops and Islamic State-linked terrorist in Marawi City. —
JEOFFREY
MAITEM

MANILA, Philippines — The move by the House of Representatives to

adopt the Senate’s version of the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation
Act is a step closer to rebuilding the war-torn city, the Commission on
Human Rights (CHR) said Wednesday.

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Lawyer and CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement
that if enacted, Senate Bill No. 2420 will solve problems on the
rebuilding of Marawi City — by facilitating the tax-free payment of
reparations to qualified beneficiaries in the city.

Huge parts of Marawi were destroyed after Islamic State sympathizers

from the Maute Group laid siege on the city in 2017, in an attempt to
start a caliphate in the country.  The fighting, which lasted over five
months, displaced a lot of residents in the area.

“This move helps ensure the immediate transmittal of the legislative

measure to Malacañang for the Chief Executive’s signature,” De Guia
said.  “The bill, if enacted into law, will solve the problem of rebuilding
houses of those affected by the siege through the creation of Marawi
Compensation Board.”

“The body will facilitate the tax-free payment of reparations to

qualified claimants who lost their residential and commercial
properties due to the siege. This is a boost to the morale of the people
of Marawi who have endured so much loss and years of
displacement,” she added.

Over four years after Marawi City was recovered by government

forces, there are still complaints on the slow-pace of rehabilitation. 
Task Force Bangon Marawi, the government arm tasked to facilitate
rehabilitation, said that as of December 2021, 80 percent of the city’s
public facilities had been rebuilt.

However, the government has set December 31, 2021 as the deadline
for the completion of the rehabilitation plan — a deadline adjusted
several times due to several factors like budgetary concerns and the
COVID-19 pandemic.

But the CHR noted that many parts of Marawi, despite the figures, are
still not under livable conditions.

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“However, funds released were only for government infrastructures
and not for the reconstruction of houses and buildings of residents
affected by the siege. Thus, many of the so-called ‘Most Affected Areas’
in Marawi remain uninhabitable,” De Guia explained.

“CHR is hopeful that the President will swiftly sign the bill into law to
help private individuals and families rebuild their lives and properties.
Their plight deserves urgent action by the government in recognition
of their exacerbated vulnerability and prolonged displacement,” she
added.

The Marawi Advocacy Accompaniment (MAA) earlier called on the

administration of President Rodrigo Duterte to speed up efforts to
rebuild Marawi City.

The group made the call in order for affected residents and displaced
communities to return home.

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