Former rebels can now apply for amnesty, commission says

Former members of rebel groups can immediately start their application for amnesty, the National Amnesty Commission said Thursday. 

National Amnesty Commission Chairperson Leah Tanodra Armamento said during a public briefing that, “Actually pwede na tayong mag-accept ng application for amnesty (Actually, we can already accept applications for amnesty) because it is effective upon concurrence of Congress, which was in March 13, 2024.”

Armamento said the Senate has adopted House Concurrent Resolutions No. 19, 20, 21, and 22, which are aligned with Presidential Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406, granting amnesty to the members of the following groups:

• Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB)
• Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
• Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) 

She said that the relevant implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have been completed, but these have yet to be signed by the commission members, as well as National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos.

“My target date is that it will be published before March 28, 2024, because if you count on the concurrence of the Senate, it was on March 13, and 15 days thereof will be on March 28,” she said.

She noted that the contents of the IRR include the coverage of the amnesty, local amnesty board, functions of office, rules, and procedures, including the turnover of their unlicensed firearms.

This also includes provisions in the Data Privacy Act to provide security for all applicants, wherein all documents submitted by the applicants will not be used as evidence to prosecute them for the crimes they had committed before the issuance of amnesty.

The commission expects an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 applicants from CPP-NPA-NDF, less than 5,000 from MNLF, and less than 900 from RPMP-RPA-ABB to avail of the amnesty.

Under MILF, Armamento said there are over 40,000 combatants, but not all of them have cases.

At least 90 days are needed for the process, including filling and thorough verification.

Written amnesty applications under oath must be lodged before the Local Amnesty Board for evaluation before these reach the National Amnesty Commission, which in turn will recommend the qualified recipients to the President.

The amnesty proclamation only covers crimes “in pursuit of political beliefs” that must be committed before November 2023.

“We already have (a Memorandum of Agreement) with (the National Bureau of Investigation) for them to provide all the data on the crime that the applicant is charged with. Also, we have (Armed Forces of the Philippines), (Philippine National Police), and prosecutors who are members of the local amnesty board, and they are bound to provide data that they are charged with the crimes they are applying for,” Armamento said.

She added that the commission currently has seven local amnesty board offices, six of which are located in Mindanao.

In order to expand the applications, the commission is preparing to build five more offices in Samar, Bicol, Isabela, and Baguio.

Last March, the Senate unanimously adopted House Concurrent Resolution No. 20 for the granting of amnesty to former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

On the same month, the Senate also unanimously adopted three House concurrent resolutions approving presidential proclamations which grant amnesty to former members of the RPMP-RPA-ABB, MILF, and the MNLF. — VDV, GMA Integrated News