MANILA, Philippines — Former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares urged Congress to urgently create a law that compensates individuals who are acquitted after being wrongfully detained.
Colmenares’ statement follows Kalookan Bishop Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David’s call for a law that provides acquitted detainees with compensation equivalent to the minimum wage, or roughly P20,000, for their time in detention.
Colmenares criticized the current provision under Republic Act No. 7309, which caps compensation at P1,000 per month of detention, describing it as “grossly inadequate.”
He stressed the need for a compensation law that provides fair reparations for the harm caused by wrongful imprisonment.
He emphasized that unjust detention is a “grave violation of human rights” and the government has a moral and legal duty to compensate those affected.
“Innocent individuals wrongfully imprisoned should not only be released but also compensated for their lost time, opportunities, and dignity,” Colmenares added.
The former lawmaker also called attention to the inhumane conditions in detention facilities, highlighting the plight of wrongfully detained individuals, including farmers, workers, youth, and activists.
“For those acquitted, freedom is not enough; justice requires the state to make amends by compensating them and helping them rebuild their lives,” Colmenares said.
He further called for systemic reforms to address the root causes of unjust detention, such as slow case resolutions, inadequate legal assistance for indigent detainees, and the practice of red-tagging.
“What we need is genuine justice—not just for those falsely accused, but for all victims of systemic injustice,” he added.