100K former rebels seen to avail of amnesty program - NAC

At least 100,000 former rebels could benefit from the government’s amnesty program, according to initial estimates from the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) on Saturday.

“Tentative po ‘yung numero na ibinigay sa amin (The number given to us was tentative). About 100,000 will avail,” NAC Commissioner Nasser Marohomsalik said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

Marohomsalik said the majority of applications are expected to be from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and leftist groups.

“Libu-libo rin po sa MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front), pero wala pang sinubmit po sa aming figure,” he said.

(Thousands will also come from the MNLF, although no exact figure was submitted to us.)

“Meron po kaming preliminary information na marami rin po ang former members ng CPP-NPA-NDF na nakalinya,” he added.

(We have preliminary information that many former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF will also apply for an amnesty.)

Last November, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405, and 406, granting amnesty to the following groups:

• Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB)Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)
• MILF
• MNLF

Under the 1987 Constitution, the President of the Philippines has the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all members of Congress.

The House of Representatives concurred in December 2023, while the Senate did the same in March 2024. — VBL, GMA Integrated News