Nat’l Amnesty Commission forms 9 field offices; 10 more eyed

The National Amnesty Commission (NAC) has formed nine field offices across the country and plans to create 10 more to cater to rebels availing the government’s amnesty program, Commissioner Nasser Marohomsalik said Monday.

The established field offices are in Pagadian City in Zamboanga Peninsula; Cagayan de Oro; Cotabato City; Davao City; Bacolod; Iloilo; National Capital Region; Isabela City, Basilan; and Jolo, Sulu, Marohomsalik said in a public briefing.

He added that NAC aims to have 10 more field offices, with one each in Butuan City, Kidapawan City, Baguio, Pampanga, and Leyte, Samar, among others.

NAC on Saturday reported that at least 100,000 rebels will avail the government's amnesty program.

Section 4 of the presidential proclamations stated that the amnesty shall extinguish any criminal liability of former rebels for acts carried out in pursuit of their political beliefs and shall also restore civil and political rights suspended or lost by a criminal conviction.

Last November, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted amnesty to the following rebel 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)
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
• Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)

According to Marohomsalik, the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the government’s amnesty program will be released within the week.—Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News