Alleged former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF take their oath as officers of the National Capital Region Police Office facilitate their surrender at Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig on December 26, 2022. 

MANILA — A total of 1,665 former rebels have applied for the amnesty offered by the government, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) said on Thursday.

Of these, 1,061 were former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and their front organizations.

Another 344 were from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF); 241 from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF); and 19 from the Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB).

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The number is still below the government's target of 2,000, according to Commissioner Jamar Kulayan of the National Amnesty Commission (NAC).

At least 1,260 of the applicants are still under verification, while 331 are for conference, 33 for resolution, and only 41 have been resolved by the Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) and are up for review by the NAC.

“Some causes of the delay is ‘yong incomplete submission of the application form. Some of the applications we received ay ‘yong one-page application form lang that we provided that [is] downloadable from our website or social media page.  Ang nangyayari, ‘yong ating LAB secretariat pa ‘yong naghahanap ng mga kaukulang information to provide the complete information about the applicant — so, medyo doon tayo nababagalan,” Kulayan said in a media briefing.

(Some causes of the delay are incomplete submissions of application forms. Some of the applications we received were just the one-page application form, which we provided and is downloadable from our website or social media pages. What happens is that the LAB secretariat has to search for the necessary information to complete the applicant's documents, so that's where we experience delays.)

There are currently nine LABs across the country, and the NAC plans to establish 11 more in 2025.

The LABs serve as centers where rebels can avail themselves of amnesty, but only for political crimes or crimes committed in pursuit of political beliefs.

“What is important here is for the applicants to know that it will expedite the processing of the application form if they submit a complete document in support of their application,” Kulayan said.

(What is important here is for the applicants to know that it will expedite the processing of the application if they submit a complete document in support of their application.)

The amnesty process requires proof of identity, of affiliation, and of the commission of a crime. 

Former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF were granted amnesty by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. under Proclamation No. 404.

Members of the RPMP-RPA-ABB, MILF, and MNLF were granted amnesty under Proclamation Nos. 403, 405, and 406, respectively.

Under these proclamations, issued on November 23, 2023, members of these rebel groups have two years to apply for amnesty. Applications are filed with the LABs, which also handle the initial processing.

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