Citing the agonizing uncertainty facing rebel returnees waiting for the approval of their amnesty applications, Senators Robin Padilla and Migz Zubiri are seeking an inquiry into the status of the amnesty proclamations of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Padilla and Zubiri filed Senate Resolution 1258, directing the appropriate Senate committee to conduct the inquiry in aid of legislation.
“Individuals awaiting the approval of their applications continue to face uncertainty as they transition to mainstream society.”
“Individuals awaiting the 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,” the legislators said in their resolution.
“With tens of thousands of applications expected to go through the National Amnesty Commission, it is imperative to look into the possible causes of delay in the process, with the end in view of providing for 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 lawmakers added.
“No amnesty application from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been approved to date.”
The resolution noted that while Marcos issued Proclamations 403, 404, 405 and 406 on Nov. 22, 2023, granting amnesty to members of four rebel and insurgent groups, a consultative meeting by Padilla’s Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs found no amnesty application from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been approved to date.
Covered by the four proclamations are members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletariat Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB); Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), MILF, and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Earlier, Padilla called on authorities concerned to act on the issues hounding the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) between the government and MILF in March 2014.
During a consultative meeting with the officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), participants bared how the government has not fulfilled its promises to former MNLF and MILF fighters who availed of amnesty.
