Malacañang on Sunday thanked former senator Joker Arroyo for his opinion, but said it stands behind the appointment of a former police officer as head of the Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board.
“We respect the views of former Senator Joker Arroyo who [was] an ardent freedom fighter and human rights advocate in the Martial Law period. Nagkakaiba lang po ang pananaw niya sa pananaw ng ating Pangulo sa paghirang kay General Lina Sarmiento,” Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said in an interview aired over state-run dzRB.
Arroyo earlier rejected Sarmiento’s appointment, saying she did not meet the minimum standards set by the Human Rights Victims’ Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013.
“General Sarmiento, whatever her qualifications in the field of human rights violations might be today, cannot have any track record of involvement in or understanding or knowledge of the human rights situation during the martial law period,” Arroyo wrote in his open letter to Aquino, published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
But Coloma explained that President Aquino has a deep understanding of the nature of the job that Sarmiento has to accomplish, being a survivor of Martial Law abuse himself.
“Si Pangulong Aquino ay mayroon pong malalim at malawak na pag-unawa diyan sa usapin ng human rights dahil sa kanyang personal na karanasan at sa naranasan na rin po ng kanyang pamilya sa buong kaganapan ng Martial Law at ito po ay isinaalang-alang din niya sa pagpili ng mga kasapi ng Claims Board,” he said.
“Doon po sa batas na nagtatag nitong Human Rights Claims Board, meron pong sunset clause diyan, binibigyan lamang ang board ng dalawang taon para gampanan ang tungkulin nito pagkatapos ng promulgation ng implementing rules and regulations,” he said, adding Sarmiento’s critics should give her a chance.
Sarmiento’s appointment to head the board has been met with criticism from human rights advocates because of her link to the Philippine National Police.
The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates said Sarmiento “comes from an institution which was an instrument of repression during Martial Law.” — Patricia Denise Chiu/JDS, GMA News
