MANILA — The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) hopes the remaining members of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) will avail of the amnesty being offered by the government.

NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. said the task force welcomes the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Congress during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) to support the granting of amnesty to rebel returnees.

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Torres added the amnesty program is the key to ending insurgency in the country.

“This is a golden opportunity for us to finally put an end to insurgency in our country. But we cannot rush this,” Torres said during the NTF-ELCAC’s press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday.

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said they are now in the process of drafting the provisions for the amnesty proclamation.

The amnesty program is being facilitated by the National Amnesty Commission (NAC).

In 2021, former president Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamations 1090, 1091, 1092 and 1093 to grant amnesty to the members of revolutionary groups, which include the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas / Revolutionary Proletarian Army / Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), and communist terrorist groups (CTGs).

These proclamations were concurred by the House of Representatives and the Senate. Only the House of Representatives concurred on Proclamation 1093.

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“Well-organized siya at the national level. In fact, nagmeeting na with the MILF. After maorganize natin ang national commission, more or less magkakaroon ng regional and local amnesty boards,” Galvez noted.

“Magkakaroon ng proseso. Once mareproclaim na ang 4 na proclamation, gagawa ang NAC ng IRR.”

“Umaabot na sa 27,000 to 30,000 ang affiliated and members ng CPP-NPA na kasama sa listahan ng talagang regular members ng CPP-NPA na dumadami ang sumusurrender,” he added.

As of July, there remains over 1,800 active members of the NPA, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The CPP-NPA-NDF has rejected previous calls for the granting of amnesty to communist rebels.

But the NTF-ELCAC remains steadfast in its goal to end local communist armed conflict.

“Hopefully, as reported by the AFP, they have identified 479 from the remaining 1,865 members of the CPP-NPA. Karamihan ay high ranking officials. If we are to offer the amnesty proclamation to the 479 officials, they will take with them probably 10 more,” Torres said.

“We are confident that sooner rather than later, we will be ending the scourge of insurgency in our country,” he continued.

On Galvez’s part, he explained that the amnesty would extinguish a person’s criminal liability for acts committed in pursuit of political beliefs and restore his or her political and civil rights, adding this is something he can attest to.

Galvez himself was a beneficiary of former president Fidel Ramos’ amnesty proclamation for rebel soldiers in 1996, having participated in the failed 1989 coup.

“While they are waiting for amnesty, ipaprocess natin ang mga kaso. Ang mga kaso na walang ebidensya, baka pwede madismiss yan sa prosesong legal. At the same time, ang mga taong nag-aapply ng amnesty, pwede bigyan ng safe conduct pass,” the secretary said.

The NAC will receive and process applications for amnesty that will be filed through the Local Amnesty Board (LAB).

“Hahabaan ang duration ng amnesty application kasi aayusin pa ang ating LABs. Ang timeline natin most likely ang proclamation this August. Immediately, we will ask Congress and Senate to ratify ang 4 proclamations so we can immediately implement amnesty informations,” Galvez noted.

He then continued, “After the concurrence of Senate and Congress, ipapublish natin ang IRR. After that, the LABs will be fully organized and we can now receive applications... By 2025, hopefully matapos natin lahat ng applications ng MILF, MNLF, RPA-ABB, CPP.”

However, only former combatants and rebels with crimes and offenses “related to their political struggle” will be granted amnesty, according to Galvez.

“May exemptions tayo, mga hindi pwedeng macover sa amnesty. One, genocide. Terroristic actions. Also, crimes against humanity. Nakalagay naman sa atin na rebellion, conspiracy to commit rebellion, disloyalty to public officers, inciting rebellion, illegal assembly, sedition, conspiracy to commit sedition, illegal association, direct assault, resistance and disobedience to persons in authority, all other offenses related to the political struggle, ‘yun ang kasama sa amnesty,” Galvez said.

“Crimes not covered by amnesty: kidnap for ransom, massacre, rape, crimes committed against chastity as defined by the revised penal code, and crimes committed for some perosnal end. Also, ang violation ng RA 9165,” he added.

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