The government is speeding up work on an amnesty program for members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after a successful plebiscite paves the way for the creation of a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that will see former rebels take on a leadership role.
READ: MILF bucks anti-BOL petitions
“We’re trying to fast-track the amnesty, but you know the amnesty has to be concurred with by Congress, so we’re working on that,” Undersecretary Nabil Tan of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, said on ANC’s Early Edition on Wednesday.
Tan told ANC that those with pending cases would “normally” not be appointed to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, which will govern during a three-year transition period before elections.
However, Mohagher Iqbal, chairman of the group’s implementing panel, said they will push for provisional appointments until the rebels receive their amnesties.
He told ABS-CBN News that 10 MILF commanders are facing criminal cases for “common” crimes.
He added that about 35,000 to 40,000 combatants may be covered by the amnesty.