Pimentel bats for increased compensation for those wrongly convicted or illegally detained
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III has sponsored a bill that increases monetary compensation for Filipinos who were wrongly convicted or illegally detained.
According to him, Senate Bill No. 2920, which is under Committee Report No. 438, aims to strengthen support for individuals, who have been wrongly convicted or unjustly detained, by amending Republic Act No. 7309, the law that established the Board of Claims under the Department of Justice.
The proposed amendments include increasing by ten-fold compensation for unjust imprisonment or detention from ₱1,000 to ₱10,000 per month and raising the maximum compensation for victims of violent crimes to ₱50,000 or more, depending on the incurred expenses.
The bill proposes an extension of the claims filing period from six months to one year after release or injury to make the process more accessible. It also seeks to modernize the system by allowing remote claim submissions, subject to regulations to be outlined by the Board of Claims.
Pimentel noted that the Board of Claims, which was established by the Office of the Secretary of Justice in 1992, was tasked with implementing the national government’s Victims’ Compensation Program.
He stressed that it’s now time to modernize and expand the scope of Republic Act No. 7309, in line with the principles of liberality, generosity and fairness.
“We live in a country where no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws,” the senator said.
According to Pimentel, the measure is aimed at ensuring justice for those who have been accused, convicted, and imprisoned without due process but were later cleared of wrongdoing through acquittal. The coverage also includes individuals who were detained and released without any charges, those who were subjected to arbitrarily or illegal detention and released without charges, and victims of violent crimes.
“More than ever, the Filipino people must be reminded that we are a country of laws and not of men. We are neither a kingdom ruled by a tyrannical monarch, nor a penal colony that ignores the humanity of those under our custody,” he added in his sponsorship speech.
