100K FORMER REBELS SEEN TO AVAIL GOVERNMENT’S AMNESTY PROGRAM

THE National Amnesty Commission (NAC) expects about 100,000 former rebels comprised of Muslim separatists and communist insurgents to avail of the amnesty proclamations signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last year.

“Tentative po iyong numero na ibinigay sa amin. About 100,000 will avail,” NAC Commissioner Nasser Marohomsalik said in a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

“Libu-libo rin po sa MNLF, pero wala pang sinubmit po sa aming figure. Pero, ang alam namin libu-libo po,” he said.

Marohomsalik said they expect the bulk of the amnesty applicants to come from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the leftist groups.

The NAC official said the amnesty process will commence only after congressional concurrence, noting the House of Representatives concurred with the proclamation of the President.

The Senate, however, made the concurrence for the amnesty proclamations for the ABB (RPA-ABB), the Kapatiran, MILF and MNLF only in March.

“Noong Marso 13 lang ibinigay ng Senado iyong para sa former rebels ng CPP-NPA-NDF,” Marohomsalik explained.

“So, ang alam namin libu-libo po ang nakalinya na mag-file ng application sa amin. The paperwork is being done by those organization granted amnesty. The MNLF, the MILF, the CPP and the Kapatiran and so, hinihintay po namin at huwag po nating madaliin,” he said.

The government has four amnesty program separately covering Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB); former rebels of the CPP-NPA-NDF; Moro Islamic Liberation Front; and the Moro National Liberation Front.

President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 47 in November last year, amending Executive Order No. 125, series of 2021, or the Creation of the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to cover the processing of the applications for amnesty under Proclamations 403, 404, 405 and 406.