MANILA - Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro believes President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s offer for amnesty to rebels will complement "balik-loob" efforts for members of the NPA.

During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, Marcos said he will grant amnesty to rebel returnees through a proclamation and asked for congressional support.

• Marcos offers amnesty to rebel returnees, asks for Congress support

Still, this does not equate to peace talks.

"Ang pagbibigay ng amnestiya ay complement sa pagbabalik-loob ng mga gustong bumalik sa fold of the law ng natitira pang mga elemento. Bona fide ha, iyong mga tunay na miyembro ng CPP-NPA-NDF. So ito ay huhubugin niya ang proklamasyon, natural ang kung sino ang pwedeng mag-qualify dito. Para nang sa ganoon, makatugon na tayo ng pansin sa external defense," Teodoro said after Marcos' SONA on Monday.

"Walang peace talks. Ito amnesty ito, iba ito. At kung ayaw nilang mag-avail ng amnesty sa amnesty period, then iba na naman iyong usapan," he added.

Teodoro, meanwhile, praised Marcos' "concrete and clear" plans for the country.

"Talagang tinutukan niya ang pundasyon ng ating economic growth, edukasyon, social services, peace and order at ang pangkabuuang kalusugan ng ating bansa," he said.

"Ito ay continuation sa kanyang SONA last year. Pero ngayon mas specific: agrikultura, magsasaka, tubig—which is going to be a problem—disaster risk reduction, fiscal management, edukasyon. At kung mang matamasa natin lahat ito, dyan tayo makakakuha ng pondo para sa karagdagang modernisasyon sa Armed Forces at pagu-upgrade ng imprastraktura kasi iyan ang hinahanap ng ating mga namumuhunan," he added.

The Philippines has the world's longest communist insurgency, which has been going on for more than five decades since the late Jose Maria Sison founded the CPP in 1968.

• AFP: Only one active NPA guerrilla front remaining in Philippines

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