Galvez calls on CPP-NPA members to surrender: ‘Talk with us’

Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Wednesday called on members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to surrender and join the proposed amnesty for rebel returnees.

At a press briefing, Galvez said they are encouraging all CPP-NPA members to talk with them as discussions on the matter are ongoing.

“Ang panawagan po namin is talaga kung pwede magkaroon na ng katahimikan sa Pilipinas. Also we are encouraging all CPP-NPA members to talk with us. Tuloy po yung ating proseso ng local basis,” he said.

(Our appeal is to have peace in the Philippines. Also we are encouraging all CPP-NPA members to talk with us. The process for the local basis is ongoing.)

“But for the process of the negotiation with the CPP-NPA-NDF sa Norway we will wait for the guidance of the President,” he added.

Galvez, meanwhile, said they are looking at the possibility of at least 8,000 to 10,000 members of the CPP-NPA planning to join the offered amnesty program.

Asked on the developments of the recommendation to offer an amnesty program for CPP-NPA-NDF members, Galvez said the “process is still ongoing.”

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) earlier said it strongly recommended to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. the offering of amnesty to address the communist insurgency.

In February 2021, then-President Rodrigo Duterte issued four proclamations granting amnesty to members of rebel organizations and communist groups who committed crimes punishable under the Revised Penal Code and Special Penal Laws in connection with their political beliefs.

The amnesty, outlined in Presidential Proclamations 1090, 1091, 1092 and 1093, covered members of  communist groups, Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The grant of amnesty requires admission of guilt on the part of beneficiaries and the concurrence of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

New Bangsamoro transition members

Meanwhile, Galvez also welcomed the appointment of the new members of the parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), saying that “is not just a historic event but also a symbolic one.”

“We are very confident that the next generation of Bangsamoro leaders are determined to sustain and build the peace in the region,” he said.

He then appealed to the BTA members to fast-track the passage of the remaining Bangsamoro codes including the electoral code, revenue code, local government code, and the IP code.

“Sabi po ni Chief Minister yung election code ay maipapasa before end of 2022 kasi mayroon na po itong draft at they are confident na kayang-kaya nilang ipasa itong mga codes na ito in good time,” Galvez said.

(The Chief Minister said that the election code will be passed before the end of 2022 because it has a draft and they are confident that they will be able to pass these codes in good time.)

“Ang hinihiling po namin kay Chief Minister at sa BTA members na matapos ito sa madaling panahon, especially before 2022,” he added.

(We are asking the chief minister and the BTA members to finish this as soon as possible, especially before 2022.)

Last week, Marcos administered the oath-taking of the new members of the parliament of the BTA.

The BTA serves as the the interim government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, BARMM chief minister, led the 80 new members who took their oath.

Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law states that the BTA "shall be the interim government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region during the transition period," with legislative and executive powers and functions of the Bangsamoro government. — BM, GMA News