Processing of 20K amnesty appeals eyed with more local boards

 From the Philippine News Agency (May 31, 2024): Processing of 20K amnesty appeals eyed with more local boards (By Ma. Teresa Montemayor)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Forty-four former rebels pledge their allegiance to the government at the National Capital Region Police Office hall in Taguig City on May 30, 2023. The rebel returnees, who also surrendered 11 firearms, underwent medical evaluation, livelihood training and other activities to assist them in reintegrating into society. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – The National Amnesty Commission (NAC) is looking forward to process at least 20,000 amnesty applications of former rebels with the creation of more local amnesty boards.

NAC Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento said there are nine local amnesty boards in charge of engaging persons deprived of liberty to apply for amnesty.

"We're still looking into establish[ing] additional 10 local amnesty board because of the concurrence of Congress on the proclamations granting amnesty to former rebels of the CPP-NPA-NDF under front organizations," she said in an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon Friday.

She said the NAC has received only 28 hard copies of amnesty applications so visits to places of detention are done to reach out to potential applicants.

Earlier, the NAC said it is preparing 100,000 applicants for amnesty.

The processing of amnesty application from the time it is submitted to the NAC until it is forwarded to the Office of the President takes 90 days.

"It's the President's call now until when he finishes it but he said to us, with ES (Executive Secretary) Bersamin, 24 hours, we'll finish it, that's what he promised to us," Armamento said.

The application period for amnesty is only within two years since the time the Congress has concurred.

"So for the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army) it will be two years from March 13, 2024. For the rest, RPMP (Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa–Pilipinas), RPABB (Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade), Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front, it will be two years from March 4, 2024," Armamento said.

"It's in our rules of procedure, provided that the offense is committed before November 22, 2023 when the President issued the proclamation, the act of filing application for amnesty is considered as surrender," she said.

The NAC has signed a memoramdum of agreement with the National Commission of Muslim Filipinos, aiming to provide them with assistance in information dissemination about amnesty in areas in Mindanao unreached by radio, television and telecommunications.

"They will help us reach out and help our fellowmen who rebelled if they want to apply for amnesty. It's like, they will popularize the amnesty project of the government," Armamento said.

"If we can get a majority of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and MNLF apply for amnesty then at least the program of the government towards peace, we'll be able to achieve it," she said.

The NAC was established during the Duterte administration under Executive Order No. 125, Series of 2021, which was later amended by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. with Executive Order No. 47.

Marcos signed Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406, which grant amnesty to members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, MNLF, RPMP-RPA-ABB, and former members or returnees of the CPP-NPA or their front organizations.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1225962