She is the daughter of Filipino nationalist figure and legislator Sen. Jose W. Diokno, who is the father of human rights. She is also the older sister of human rights advocate Atty. Chel Diokno and the aunt of Chel's son, the independent filmmaker Pepe Diokno. She aided her father at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), where her father was the founder and first chairman, until the Mendiola Massacre caused Maris to resign for the first time in 1987. She later returned for her second government stint to join the NHCP.
