DoJ, BARMM, reaffirm Mindanao Amnesty Program commitment

Top officials from the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and local governments across Mindanao have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the government’s amnesty program for former rebels.

During a closed-door, high-level dialogue recently, participants noted that former members of the New People’s Army continue to surrender and seek legitimate avenues for reintegration into mainstream society, underscoring the need for sustained institutional support to secure lasting regional peace and stability.

Led by Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida, the meeting brought together DoJ Undersecretaries Garney Candelaria and Francis John Tejano, National Bureau of Investigation director Melvin Matibag, BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, and local government representatives from Regions 9, 10, 11 and 13.

Implemented through the National Amnesty Commission alongside ex officio agencies — including the DoJ, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of National Defense — the amnesty program serves as a primary legal mechanism for former combatants returning to the fold of the law.