NSA Año urges ex-rebels to apply for gov't amnesty program

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Tuesday called on former members of rebel groups to avail of the government's amnesty program, which has already started accepting applications.

In a statement, Año urged members of the following groups to take advantage of the amnesty program:

• 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)

"The National Amnesty Commission has begun accepting applications for amnesty after Congress concurred with the Amnesty Proclamation of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. This is a significant development and a game changer in ending the more than 50-year communist armed conflict in the country," Año said in a statement.

"The NSC extends its sincere invitation to all rebels to consider the path of peace and reconciliation by availing of the amnesty program... We encourage all the remaining active members of the armed rebel groups to seize and embrace this chance for reconciliation and renewal of hope as we all work together towards lasting peace and development," he added.

Leah Tanodra Armamento, chair of the National Amnesty Commission, announced last week that former members of rebel groups can already start sending applications for amnesty.

Año reiterated that this amnesty program opens the door to opportunities for all NPA combatants to renew their lives, reintegrate into mainstream society, and build a peaceful and brighter future for themselves and their families.

The chief of the National Security Council (NSC) said thousands of former members of the NPA and their Militia ng Bayan have already surrendered in 2023 alone, calling this as a "major success in the integration of former rebels into mainstream society."

From January to March 2024, Año said the number of NPA has been "significantly reduced" by 422 members.

"The NPA has already been strategically defeated because there are no more active guerrilla fronts anywhere in the country and only 11 weakened guerrilla fronts remain: five in Luzon, three in the Visayas and another three in Mindanao. The NTF- ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) is on track to dismantle all remaining weakened guerilla fronts before the end of the year. In fact, three regions, namely the Ilocos, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao Regions, have already been declared insurgency-free," the NSA said.

"With the imminent collapse of the Communist movement, now is the time for them to lay down their arms and rejoin mainstream society. Choosing to apply for amnesty by laying down arms and returning to the fold of the law is in itself an act of courage that stands to benefit not only former rebels individually, but also contributes to the healing, progress, and stability of our country," he added.

Last March, the Senate unanimously adopted House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) No. 20 for the granting of amnesty to former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

In the same month, the Senate also unanimously adopted three House concurrent resolutions approving presidential proclamations which grant amnesty to former members of the RPMP-RPA-ABB, MILF, and the MNLF.

These HCRs concurred with Presidential Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406, which were released by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in November last year. — VDV, GMA Integrated News