More than 300 former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the islands of Negros and Panay have registered for the government’s amnesty program, the Philippine Army said on Sunday.
Through the assistance from the line battalions of the 302nd and 303rd Infantry Brigades, the National Amnesty Commission’s Local Amnesty Board (LAB)-Bacolod processed the application of 210 former rebels in Negros Island at the Bacolod City College campus. While the 301st Infantry Brigade at Camp General Adriano Hernandez in Dingle town assisted 90 former rebels in Panay Island.
3ID Commander Major General Marion Sison again urged the remaining CPP-NPA members to “surrender, leave their past behind, and choose peaceful and productive lives.”
The Army reported all five guerrilla fronts of the CPP-NPA have been dismantled in Negros province, while only one rebel front is operating in Panay province. Rex Espiritu
The NAC on Monday announced that its existing amnesty boards have received a total of 578 amnesty applications as of July 12.
In a news release, the agency said 497 of the applicants are former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA- NDF).
Two of the applicants are from the “Rebolusyonaryong Partidong Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade” (RPMP-RPA-ABB), 33 are from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and 46 are from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. granted amnesty to former members of the RPMP-RPA- ABB, CPP-NPA-NDF, MILF, and MNLF under Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405, and 406, respectively.
Under these proclamations issued on Nov. 23, 2023, members of these rebel groups have two years to apply for amnesty.
The LABs would accept the applications and would also handle their initial processing.
Currently, the NAC has established nine LABs and is in the process of setting up another 10.
The NAC said it expects more rebels to return to the fold of the law and restart a peaceful life through the creation of more LABs in accessible cities or provinces, along with the issuance of provisional safe conduct passes for amnesty applicants.
The NAC and its LABs are currently verifying the information provided by the applicants to determine the merit of their applications.
After the verification process, the NAC will recommend to the President the grant of amnesty to successful applicants.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline 300 former NPA rebels apply for amnesty
