President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. extended an olive branch to rebels and insurgents, casting hope in the administration's pursuit of peace, announced Malacañang on Friday.
Executive Order 47, issued by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin on 22 November 2023, revised EO No. 125 from 2021, establishing the National Amnesty Commission.
Marcos highlighted the necessity of amending and modernizing the functions of the NAC to accommodate the processing of amnesty applications under the newly issued proclamations.
"There is hereby created the National Amnesty Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, which shall be primarily tasked with receiving and processing applications for amnesty and determining whether the applicants are entitled to amnesty under Proclamation Nos. 403, 404, 405, or 406," the EO read.
The commission established through EO No. 125 will persist and be disbanded upon fulfilling its purpose or as decided by the President, it stated.
Through Proclamation No. 403, President Marcos extended amnesty to individuals belonging to the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB) who had committed offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and specific penal statutes.
This applies specifically to those who committed crimes motivated by their political convictions, whether punishable under the Revised Penal Code or special penal statutes.
However, this proclamation excludes crimes such as kidnapping for ransom, massacre, rape, terrorism, offenses committed against chastity as defined in the Revised Penal Code, crimes for personal gain, violations of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002), severe breaches of the Geneva Convention of 1949, as well as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, torture, enforced disappearances, and other severe human rights violations.
Further, the President issued Proclamation No. 404 granting amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) who had committed offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws while pursuing their political beliefs.
Likewise, President Marcos issued Proclamation Nos. 405 and 406, extending amnesty to individuals associated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, respectively. This applies to individuals who have committed offenses punishable under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws in support of their political convictions.
Members of the MILF and MNLF, regardless of their detention status, charges, or convictions related to acts or omissions driven by political beliefs mentioned in Section 1, are eligible to apply for amnesty.
The offenses for which one is applying for amnesty, however, must have been committed before the issuance of the respective proclamations.
