MILF welcomes Marcos' amnesty proclamation

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) welcomed the amnesty President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. granted them and three other rebel groups, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Sunday. 

According to the PCO, MILF Chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said that the highly welcome issuance of Proclamation No. 405 was a strong signal of the government's commitment to sustain the gains of the peace process with the MILF.

“As a party to the peace pact with the GPH (government of the Philippines), our priority is to ensure that the agreements in the CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) are mutually honored, substantially implemented, and timely completed,” Ebrahim said.

According to the PCO, Ebrahim stressed that all the components of the Normalization “must progress in parallel and commensurate with each other.”

The Annex on Normalization under the CAB provides for the commitment of the Philippine government to employ the mechanism of amnesty, pardon, as well as other processes that may be available for the resolution of cases of persons charged with or convicted of crimes and offenses connected to the armed conflict in Mindanao.

Ebrahim concluded by thanking Marcos and his administration for relentlessly pursuing its peace, reconciliation, and unity policy. 

Aside from the MILF, Marcos also granted amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The amnesty was granted "to encourage them (rebels) to return to the folds of law," the PCO said.

The Bangsamoro Government on Saturday also expressed its "genuine gratitude" to Marcos for granting amnesty to the members of the MILF and MNLF.

"The Bangsamoro Government and the Bangsamoro People express genuine gratitude to the Government of the Philippines for showing unwavering commitment to the Bangsamoro Peace Process and all signed peace agreements with the advancement of these Amnesty Proclamation," said Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, spokesperson of the Bangsamoro Government Minister. — DVM, GMA Integrated News