Deadline is on March 4, 2026
TACLOBAN CITY — At least 144 former rebels and other qualified individuals in Eastern Visayas have applied for the government’s amnesty program following a series of orientation and intake activities conducted across the region in February.
Data from the Local Amnesty Boards (LABs) showed that 31 applicants were processed during a session in Baybay City, while six more filed applications at the Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog under the LAB of Tacloban.
The LAB of Catbalogan, for its part, recorded 36 applicants in Catubig, Northern Samar, and another 71 during an orientation activity in Borongan City.
The activities were carried out in coordination with partner agencies, including the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), as part of ongoing efforts to encourage former combatants to return to mainstream society.
During the sessions, secretariats of the Local Amnesty Boards explained the scope of the amnesty program, covered offenses, documentary requirements, and the step-by-step application process. Applicants also took their oath of allegiance before PAO lawyers, a key requirement for processing their petitions.
The National Amnesty Commission has set application deadlines on March 4, 2026 for former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawang Pilipinas–Revolutionary Proletarian Army–Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA/ABB), and March 13, 2026 for former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
Officials reiterated their call for eligible individuals to avail themselves of the amnesty program, describing it as a crucial step toward reconciliation, legal closure, and long-term peace and development in the region.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
