THE National Amnesty Commission (NAC) has released the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the amnesty application of former members of different insurgent and armed groups in the country.
Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said with the issuance of the IRR, “former rebels who have turned away from armed struggle and laid down their arms will be able to complete their normalization and transition to mainstream society as peaceful, productive and law-abiding citizens.”
The IRR covers Amnesty Proclamation numbers 403, 404, 405 and 406 that were issued by President Marcos Jr. in 2023 which grants amnesty to members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas / Revolutionary Proletarian Army / Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and their front organizations, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), respectively.
Under the IRR, those seeking amnesty must file their applications with any Local Amnesty Board (LAB) where the initial eligibility assessments will be conducted.
The LAB shall then submit its recommendations to the NAC which will then review and submit the final recommendation to the President for final approval.
The NAC said applicants who are facing subjects of arrest warrants may request a provisional safe conduct pass from the LAB in advance to enable them to physically submit their amnesty applications, while those who are currently detained in detention facilities may seek assistance from their supervisory officers within their detention centers if they wish to apply for amnesty.
Those who reside abroad and wish to apply for amnesty may go to the Philippine consulate in their current country of residence.
Those applying for amnesty have almost two years to submit their application or until March 4, 2026 for members of the RPMP-RPA-ABB, MILF, and MNLF, and March 13, 2026, for former members associated with the CPP-NPA-NDF and their front organizations.”
Galvez said crimes covered by the amnesty proclamations include rebellion or insurrection; conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or insurrection; disloyalty of public officers or employees; inciting to rebellion or insurrection; sedition; conspiracy to commit sedition; inciting to sedition; illegal assembly; illegal association; direct assault; indirect assault; resistance and disobedience to a person in authority or the agents of such person; tumults and other disturbances of public order; unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances; alarms and scandals; illegal possession of firearms, ammunition or explosives; and those charged, detained or convicted of common crimes but who can establish by substantial evidence that they have committed said crimes in pursuit of political beliefs.
Crimes that are not covered by the amnesty proclamations include kidnap for ransom; massacre; rape; other crimes committed against chastity as defined in the Revised Penal Code as amended; crimes committed for personal ends; violation of Republic Act No. 9165; grave violations of the Geneva Convention of 1949; and crimes identified by the United Nations that can never be given amnesty.
