CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 07 August) — The Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) has received claims amounting to P800 million from residents whose family members were killed and properties destroyed during the five-month bloody Marawi Siege between the Philippine military and Daesh-inspired Maute gunmen in 2017.
Maisara Dandamun-Latiph, MCB chairperson, said the amount is based on the claims filed by at least 2,013 residents since July 4.
Latiph said the family of Yasir Naga, a former member of the Regional Legislative Assembly of the now-defunct Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), filed a claim of P53 million for the Pacasum College, an ancestral house and a commercial building they have owned, and which were destroyed by the 2017 shelling and fighting.
“In Marawi City, there are many families like Naga who lost their properties in 2017 and all of them are seeking compensation. There are small property owners who lost their buildings too. The P1 billion compensation money would not be enough to cover the expenses,” she said.
Latiph said she explained the situation during the hearing of the House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation in Manila last week.
“On July 4 alone, we processed the claims for P800 million in one single day,” Latiph sad.
The Marawi Compensation Board is seeking a bigger allocation in the 2024 budget from Congress.
Under Republic Act No. 116961, otherwise known as Marawi Siege Victims’ Compensation Act of 2022, the government provided a tax-free P1 billion compensation to pay Marawi residents who lost properties or have family members killed as a result of the fighting.
Latiph said they will appeal for more funds from Congress to compensate the claims of thousands of Marawi residents.
“The amount we would request from Congress would depend on the claims filed and received by the board after we have them reviewed,” Latiph said.
Latiph said they received 21 claims so far from families whose members were killed in the fighting.
She said the heirs of those killed will receive a compensation of P350,000 for each filed claim.
Latiph clarified that the board had not made a payment to the 2,013 claims filed before their office.
“The money is still intact with the Department of Budget and Management. We have not even started reviewing those claims yet,” Latiph said.
Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong ( 1st District, Lanao del Sur) said the House Ad Hoc Committee on Marawi Rehabilitation is “seriously” considering to grant the request of the MCB for additional funding, and has taken steps to talk to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
