Dela Rosa: Sponsorship Speech Amending R.A. 11696, "Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022" Senate Bill No. 2944 under Committee Report No. 468
January 22, 2025
SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA
Sponsorship Speech Amending R.A. 11696, "Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022" Senate Bill No. 2944 under Committee Report No. 468
January 22, 2025
Yesterday, I celebrated my 63rd birthday. And yesterday, too, the nation celebrated the 6th Foundation Day of the Bangsamoro. Hindi ako naniniwala sa tsamba, Mr. President, pero naniniwala ako sa God's will. Therefore as I sponsor Senate Bill No. 2944, under Committee Report No. 468, amending Republic Act No. 11696, otherwise known as the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, believe me when I say this is no mere coincidence.
The nightmare began on May 23, 2017, when Marawi was thrown into a state of terror. The war went on for over four months, with then President Duterte declaring the City's liberation on October 17, 2017.
It seems that during a time of war, and perhaps even in the months that follow its end, the law wields very little power. When war leaves behind the rubble of destroyed houses and shattered hopes, of what use indeed are words on a page? As an often-quoted and translated line from Cicero goes: in times of war, law falls silent.
But in a series of legislative acts that culminated on April 13, 2022, our nation, especially the Bangsamoro, showed just how loud the law can be. When it offers up itself as a cry of protest, a declaration of support, a covenant of restoration. Sa pagsasabatas ng Republic Act No. 11696 o ang Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, tila ito ay katumbas din ng isang malakas at taos-pusong sigaw: "Kaisa ninyo kami, Marawi!"
Indeed, this august chamber stands as living proof that in times of war, the law can, and the law must, be loud.
Pero sabi nga ng mga nakatatanda: actions speak louder than words. At noong sinimulan na nga ang implementasyon ng R.A. 11696, nakita rin natin, lalo na ng mga biktima mismo ng Marawi siege, na may mga kakulangan ang batas na kailangang bigyang pansin at tugunan. There is always room for improvement, ika nga.
Hence, your Senate Special Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation and Victims Compensation has the honor to present Senate Bill No. 2944, bearing the following improvements:
Una, sa ilalim ng ating proposed bill, Mr. President, dinadagdagan natin ng animnapu't apat (64) pang barangay ang listahan ng Other Affected Areas o OAA. Where at first there were only 8 barangays listed under OAA, this bill increases that to 72. Ito po ay opisyal na mungkahi ng City Government of Marawi, dahil kulang na kulang nga raw po ang listahan ng mga barangay na nakasaad sa current version ng R.A. 11696. Nakita rin ito sa naging Updated Post Conflict Assessment Report of Task Force Bangon Marawi.
Pangalawa, ang pag dedetermina ng replacement cost, totally destroyed assets, at repair cost. Sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang batas, walang nakasaad na kahulugan ng 'replacement cost.' This was expressed, instead, in the Implementing Rules and Regulations or IRR. With this bill, we are removing that responsibility from the IRR and placing it within the law itself. The fewer we leave to interpretation, the more decisive our implementation becomes.
Pangatlo, Mr. President, ay ang pag-amyenda natin ng Section 15 ng R.A. 11696. Section 15, letter A, which deals with the Determination of Monetary Compensation, is phrased as follows: The Board shall determine the monetary compensation and award of the lawful owner(s), whichever is the lower amount of either the fair market value...or the value of its total area..." Mr. President, hindi na po natin mabilang ang mga natanggap nating reklamo at hinaing, dahil sa mga katagang 'whichever is the lower amount.' If we are indeed to make amends, if we are truly to enable the residents of Marawi to build their property and lives anew, then we cannot sit back and simply hand over that which is lower, that which is less.
And so, under this proposed measure, Mr. President, we are deleting the phrase 'whichever is the lower amount,' and simplifying it to be the equivalent of either replacement or repair cost.
Pang-apat, Mr. President, dahil may dinagdag tayong mga barangay, nagbibigay tayo ng one year extension para sa pag-file ng mga bagong claim for compensation.
Panglima, Mr. President, ay ang pagsasaad na ang panibagong basehan na gagamitin para sa monetary compensation at award ay magkakaroon ng retroactive effect. With this, those who have received their compensation but with a lower rate applied may have their claim re-appraised and evaluated in anticipation of a higher rate of compensation.
At ang panghuling amendment na nais kong i-highlight, Mr. President, ay ang pagbibigay rin natin ng extension sa Marawi Compensation Board ng tatlo pang taon. Alam nating lahat na hindi madali ang kanilang mandato, kung kaya't bigyan natin sila ng kaukulang suporta at tulong. Simulan natin sa pagbibigay sa kanila ng mas mahaba pang panahon sa pag-process, evaluate, approve, at award ng bawat claim for compensation.
In the end, Mr. President, when the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022 was passed into law, almost three years ago, we continued to make our laws speak for us and for the values we hold dear. And today, as we shepherd this bill straight from these halls and towards its passage, we are sending the same clear message. That a war may threaten our security and our structures, and that the destruction it leaves behind may attempt to silence us once and for all, but our laws, our spirit, remain unbowed.
Shukran, Mr. President.
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