CHIZ SAYS HIS TRACK RECORD IN UPHOLDING HUMAN RIGHTS IS SOLID

Independent vice-presidential bet Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero said he has done his part in defending the victims of martial law through the three important laws he authored upholding human rights to prevent the repeat of abuses that scarred the country during the dark days of the Marcos dictatorship.

"Alam niyo masarap pag-debatehan ang paghingi ng tawad. Pero may kasabihan nga sila: 'pag binasag mo ang plato, humingi ka man ng tawad, hindi naman mabubuo 'yung plato--basag pa rin 'yon. Para sa akin, ang mahalaga at importante hindi 'yung bangayan na nagaganap ngayon, pero kung ano ang dapat gawin o ginawa at ginagawa ngayon," Escudero said.

According to the independent candidate, he pushed for the enactment of the key legislation to protect human rights such as the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013; Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act; and Anti-Torture Act.

"Ipinasa po namin bilang pangunahing may-akda, una, ang compensation bill sa human rights victims na nag-recognize at acknowledge ng mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao 'nung panahon ni dating Pangulong Marcos," said Escudero, who was former chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

"Pangalawa, ipinasa rin namin ang Anti-Torture Law. Bilang pangunahing may-akda, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, sinabi natin maycommand responsibility ang matataas na opisyal ng pamahalaan maski na wala sila roon. At pangatlo, ang Anti-Enforced Disappearance Act, na sana sa pagpasa ng tatlong batas na ito, sino man ang maluklok, hindi na nila pwedeng gawin pa ang mga pang-aabuso ng nakaraan," he added.

During his interview with ABS-CBN's Bandila news program last week, he said his track record for defending human rights victims should speak for itself, citing the bills he authored to provide compensation to martial law victims and hold public officials accountable for human rights abuses committed by the state.

Escudero also said Sen. Marcos should apologize for the human rights abuses during his father's regime.

Escudero in the same interview also supported calls for the Marcoses to return their alleged ill-gotten wealth to the state.