A landmark law, signed by Philippines President Benigno Aquino, which gave compensation to victims of human rights abuse during the tenure of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, should end age-old grievances.
The reimbursements are not just financial. Efforts to ensure that social and psychological assistance is also provided to victims of atrocities gives this law a much-needed heft. Actions speak louder than words and by this logic, the authorities have shown their character.
It helps if the state recognises people’s sufferings. Such actions build confidence in the government. That a significant portion of the compensation will be taken from Marcos’s personal bank accounts, funds from which have been released by Swiss authorities, is also poetic justice. It illustrates the government’s determination to track down the ill-gotten wealth, which he had acquired at the expense of his people’s suffering. The compensation is, perhaps, just a fraction of the billions that Marcos had swindled. But the fact that the wheels of justice have finally started turning is heartening.
