THE National Amnesty Commission (NAC) has issued 164 Safe Conduct Passes (SCPs) to qualified former rebels wishing to go back to the mainstream of society.
The safe conduct passes, which grants the returning insurgents immunity from arrest from arrest and prosecution pending approval of their amnesty applications, were handed out through the NAC’s Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) following guidelines approved by President Marcos earlier this year.
Most of the passes were granted to former members of the communist insurgency movement, while the rest went to former guerrillas of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.
“The Safe Conduct Pass is a vital confidence-building measure. It assures applicants that their voluntary decision to reintegrate into society will be respected and protected, in accordance with the rule of law and the principles of peace and reconciliation,” said NAC officer-in-charge for Mindanao Jamar Kulayan said.
Ceremonial issuances were held in Butuan City and Quezon province earlier this month, where recipients expressed gratitude and pledged to help persuade their holdout comrades to join the program.
The Davao board of the NAC also reported issuing 42 passes, sparking renewed interest among other at-large rebels to apply for amnesty.
NAC chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento emphasized the collective efforts needed to sustain peace and development, while Commissioner Ser-me Ayuyao called on communities to welcome returnees “without judgment.”
The SCP program is being implemented nationwide, with ongoing issuances in Albay, Basilan, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Davao, Pagadian, and Quezon, as part of the government’s broader reconciliation and peace-building initiatives.
