Senatorial aspirant and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista on Monday urged Congress and Malacañang to ensure the passage of the Marawi Compensation Bill into law before President Duterte’s term ends.
“I call on our lawmakers and the President to already pass the Marawi Compensation Bill...We need to pass (it) under the present administration,” Bautista said at a forum on cooperatives.
Bautista, who is running under the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in the upcoming May 2022 elections, noted that none of the presidential aspirants in the upcoming May 2022 elections who have been interviewed mentioned anything about compensation for displaced Maranaos.
Nevertheless, the actor-turned-politician said he is glad that the Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 2420 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2021 on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022.
The House of Representatives passed their version of the measure in September 2021. Bautista said he expects the bicameral conference committee to convene soon to thresh out the different provisions of the measure.
“After this, it would be submitted to President Duterte for his signature for it to fully become law,” said Bautista.
“The passage of the Marawi City Compensation Bill will be the legacy of the 18th Congress and the Duterte administration to the Maranao IDPs and residents of ground zero in Marawi City,” he further said.
Bautista said he fully supports the measure which he believes will directly benefit around 300,000 victims of the infamous five-month siege.
“Many Marawi indigenous peoples were forced to leave Marawi City and go to different places to find jobs and shelters,” he said.
“I have great confidence and gratitude to our brother Muslims...They have been faithful and enthusiastic in government projects especially when I was still mayor of Quezon City and chairperson of the Regional Peace and Order Council of the National Capital Region,” Bautista stressed.