SENATORS Juan Miguel Zubiri and Robin Padilla filed a resolution last Wednesday seeking an investigation into the government’s amnesty program after learning from a recent consultative meeting that no amnesty application from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been approved as of December 10.
“With tens of thousands of applications expected to go through the National Amnesty Commission (NAC), it is imperative to look into the possible causes of delay in the process, with the end in view of providing possible solutions to aid in expediting the amnesty application process in adherence to the Annex on Normalization under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” the senators said in filing Senate Resolution No. 1258.
They said that on November 23, 2023, President Marcos Jr. issued Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 4045, and 406 which grant amnesty to members of four rebel and insurgent groups – 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), the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The Senate concurred with the President’s proclamation through the adoption of Concurrent Resolution Nos. 19, 20, 21, and 22, which led the NAC to issue an Implementing Rules and Regulations for the proclamations which outlined the application process for individuals seeking amnesty on March 14, 2024.
However, the senators said they learned during the consultative meeting led by the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs presided by Padilla last December 10 that no amnesty application from the MILF has been approved.
“Individuals awaiting approval of their applications continue to face uncertainty as they transition to mainstream society, having to apply for provisional safe conduct passes and living with constant fear of harassment, intimidation, and threat of arrest,” they said.
They added that there is a need to conduct an investigation to determine the causes of delays so they can craft measures to speed up the application process.
In last Tuesday’s consultative meeting, Mary Ann Arnado, a member of the Bangsamoro Parliament, told senators that several Members of their Parliament (MP) who are former MILF field commanders have yet to be granted amnesty for the “political crimes” they committed.
She said these MPs can roam freely since they have been issued safe conduct passes by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity but were always at the risk of being harassed, intimidated, and threatened with arrest.
She said the NAC has received around 200 amnesty applications but has yet to act on them.
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao spokesperson Naguib Sinarimbo earlier said the amnesty is a “milestone” especially to MILF members since “everyone knows that majority of the MILF members who fought against the government have incidentally committed violations to the law in pursuit of their political beliefs.”
