KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 16 February) – With just two weeks before the deadline on March 4, the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) is urging anew members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to apply for amnesty which, when granted, will restore their civil and political rights.
As of Friday, only 991 of the 40,000-strong MILF members have applied for amnesty, NAC data showed.
Atty. Jamar M. Kulayan, NAC commissioner in charge of Mindanao, urged MILF members to avail the amnesty program offered by the national government.
He met with Anwar Alamada, chair of the MILF’s Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), to discuss the amnesty application as well as the issuance of safe conduct passes to qualified applicants.
The deadline of application is on March 4 for former members of the MILF as well as members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas–Revolutionary Proletarian Army–Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA-ABB).
For members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP–NPA–NDF), the deadline of amnesty application is on March 13.
As of Feb. 13, the NAC has received at least 8,248 amnesty applications – 6.735 from the CPP–NPA–NDF, 991 from the MILF, 430 from the MNLF, and 92 from the RPM-P/RPA-ABB.
Sixteen applicants – 15 from the CPP–NPA–NDF and one from the MILF – have been granted amnesty by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., NAC data showed.
The only amnesty grantee from the MILF so far, Jannati Mimbantas, commander of the MILF Northeastern Mindanao Front, has called on fellow MILF members to also apply for amnesty.
He has been serving as a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority or Bangsamoro Parliament under the name Basit Abas.
Kulayan said that while the amnesty program is anchored on peace and reconciliation with rebel groups, each application is meticulously scrutinized. Those found to have existing criminal charges for offenses not covered by the amnesty will be disqualified.
Crimes covered by amnesty include, among others, rebellion or insurrection, sedition, and illegal possession of firearms, ammunition or explosives, provided that these crimes or offenses were committed in furtherance of, incident to, or in connection with the crimes of rebellion or insurrection.
Kulayan said the names of the qualified applicants are submitted to the Office of the President for final review and action. Only the President has the power to grant amnesty.
He reiterated the NAC’s call for interested individuals to apply with the Local Amnesty Boards (LABs).
The NAC constituted LABs across the country where interested individuals can apply for amnesty.
For Luzon, the LABs are located at the NAC Central Office in Quezon City, Baguio City, La Union, Quezon, Isabela, Albay and Pampanga.
In the Visayas, the LABs are in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Samar and Bohol.
In Mindanao, these are in the cities of Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Pagadian, Butuan, Koronadal and Isabela in Basilan, and Jolo municipality in Sulu. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
