578 former rebels apply for amnesty

THE National Amnesty Commission (NAC) has received 578 amnesty applications as of July 12.

Of the applications that its nine existing Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) received, 497 were from former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

The rest includes two applicants from the Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), 33 from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and 46 from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Former communist fighters were granted amnesty by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under Proclamation 404. Members of the RPMP-RPA-ABB, MILF and MNLF, on the other hand, were granted amnesty under Proclamation 403, 405 and 406, respectively.

Under the proclamations, issued on Nov. 23, 2023, members of these rebel groups have two years to apply for amnesty.

Applications are filed with the LABs, which also handle the initial processing. The NAC has nine local boards and is in the process of setting up 10 more.

The NAC expects that with more LABs in accessible cities or provinces, along with the issuance of Provisional Safe Conduct Passes for amnesty applicants, more rebels will be encouraged to return to the fold of the law, reunite with their families and friends, and restart a normal and peaceful life.

The NAC and its LABs screen the information provided by the applicants. Only after this process will the NAC recommend to the President the granting of amnesty.

The commission said it remains committed to ensuring a fair and inexpensive process for evaluating applications.