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Ex-MILF combatants raise issues on cases, safe conduct pass to amnesty commission

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="AFP/file" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/29/20180729_milf2.jpg"/><figcaption>Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members secure Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao on the southern island of Mindanao. Ferdinandh Cabrera, AFP/file</figcaption></figure></div>MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE — The National Amnesty Commission on Wednesday made a historic visit to Camp Darapanan of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Sultan Kudarat, days after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr announced he would grant amnesty to rebel returnees.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/24/23/marcos-jr-offers-amnesty-to-rebel-returnees">Marcos offers amnesty to rebel returnees, asks for Congress support</a></li></ul>National Amnesty Commission Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento, Commissioner Jamar Kulayan, and director Homero Rusiana met for the first time with members and base commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for the &quot;Stakeholder&#x27;s Forum on the Bangsamoro Amnesty,&quot; organized by the Peace Security and Reconciliation Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).In her statement, Armamento said the granting of amnesty to the rebels of both the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front is an integral part of the government&#x27;s comprehensive peace efforts and essential to attaining peace and reconciliation in the country.&quot;I hope that as a chairperson of the National Amnesty Commission. I can revive that wish and put it into reality. I am not alone here. I am with two lawyers, they are Muslims,&quot; Armamento said. &quot;Kung ano man ang inihahain niyo sa amin, this will be discussed with the other members of the commission. I have faith in you and in us that we will be able to pull this and with your help, and with your cooperation, the National Amnesty Commission will be able to serve what you have expected of us, what you are expecting of us and we will be able to fulfill and succeed in our work,&quot; she added. The NAC chairperson said she is working with commissioners of her agency on the possible amnesty. She also included in the membership of the commission the secretaries of the interior, national defense, and justice departments. Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. has also been included in the team that would focus on the matter, she said.&quot;I am working with commissioner Jamar Kulayan. I am working with commissioner Nasser Morohomsalik. And Included in the membership of the National Amnesty Commission are secretaries of the Department of the National Defense, Justice, Interior, and Local Government, tsaka Presindential Adviser on Peace Reconciliation and Unity. So, hopefully this team will be able to help us.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/26/23/amnesty-for-rebels-a-game-changer-in-ending-insurgency">Amnesty for rebels a &#x27;game changer&#x27; in ending insurgency: Año</a></li></ul>Commissioner Kulayan, for his part, laid out the mandate of the National Amnesty Commission and discussed the issues covered by the National Amnesty Program during the forum.The official said the government would take immediate steps of facilitating the &quot;healing of wounds of conflict and the return to normal life&quot; through amnesty, pardon, and other relevant processes. &quot;Amnesty is an integral part of the peace process,&quot; said the commissioner. Rusiana, meanwhile, shared the contents of Presidential Proclamation 1090 for the MILF and Proclamation 1091 for the MNLF, noting that while amnesty is currently being granted, individuals who seek this must apply. “Ang problema lang natin, sa criminal offense kasi dalawa ang nagiging biktima. ‘Yong taong nasaktan, at yung gobyerno. So yung amnesty na ibibigay, &#x27;yon yung kasalanan na ginawa laban sa gobyerno,&quot; said Rusiana. <figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2739979" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>&quot;Sino ang may karapatan na magbigay ng amnesty? Ang Presidente, na mayroong concurrence ng Congress. Yung amnesty sa 1090 at 1091 ay nangyayari na kasi. Amnesty is hereby granted. Andiyan na,&quot; he said. &quot;Sabi na ng Presidente, granted na. Ang kailangan na lang is mag apply tayo,“ he said. <div>ISSUES</div>During the forum, the former MILF combatants raised questions about their ongoing criminal cases and the authorities&#x27; continued operations against MILF members, as well as the issue of the &quot;Safe Conduct Pass.&quot;Based on<a href="https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1993/06/23/memorandum-circular-no-57-s-1993/"> Memorandum Circular</a> No. 57, series of 1993, rebels who want to participate in the peace process or those who want to apply for amnesty shall be issued a Safe Conduct Pass. MILF Commander Hadji Bayan Abas said they are given such pass but it is subject to renewal monthly.He also cited some of the challenges they face. “Sa aming mga may kaso, nahihirapan kami mag hanapbuhay at mapa-hospital ang mga kasama namin kasi may kaso kami at kung sakaling magpunta kami sa abroad hindi na pwede makapunta yung may kaso,&quot; Abas said. &quot;Hinihiling namin, na ang safe conduct pass namin ay hindi na tuwing buwan na renewal at kung maari ba sana mabago na ito. Isang issue nalang hanggang hindi matapos yung decommissioning, “ he added.MILF 118th Base Commander Wahid Tundok, for his part, wants that the issuance of the Safe Conduct Pass directly from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) instead of getting it from different military camps.“Nahihirapan kami sa daanan kasi simula pa kami sa bahay papunta kami sa headquarters na wala kaming conduct pass, na maari ihuli kami ng police, na ihuli kami ng security sector kapag napasaw ang aming conduct pass bawat 15 sa buwan-buwan na ma-expire na,&quot; said Tundok. &quot;Nahihirapan kami sa daanan. Wala kaming security, wala kaming conduct pass, marami kaming warrant of arrest. Na ang pulis basta meron kang warrant of arrest, walang patawad,&quot; he added. The commander also asked that the Safe Conduct Pass would not be delayed when issued. &quot;Nahirapan kami talaga [kapag] magsakit kami na hindi kami makaya magpunta doon sa hospital kay meron kaming warrant of arrest,” he said.<div>DELAYS? </div>MILF Commander Hashim Husain, meanwhile, lauded the government for implementing the amnesty program.For Husain, this is a sign of the government&#x27;s &quot;full sincerity.&quot; &quot;Dito namin nakikita na talagang sinsiro ang gobyerno sa pakipag-usap, pakipag-implement kung ano man ang napag-usapan, agreed upon by the government of the Philippines and the MILF kasi kung wala itong amnesty parang nakikita namin na half-half and sincerity ng gobyerno,” Husain said. He also expressed his apprehension about the possible consequences of the delay in implementing the amnesty program. He said this could cause a &quot;virus.&quot;“Kung laging dine-delay ng gobyerno ang implementation ng amnesty, sa mga kasama naming MILF members ay magca-cause ito ng dalawang bagay, virus and various. Napakaraming problema at napakasakit na sakit,&quot; he said. &quot;Unang-una maging virus if epekto na hindi ma-implement, agad itong amnesty. Unang-una, maapektuhan ang decommissioning program. Itong pinakaunang virus ay maapektuhan ang decommissioning program. At kapag maapektuhan ang decommissioning program, I, we believe na karamihan sa agreement ng Moro Isalamic Liberation Front and the government of the Philippines ay maapektuhan din,“ Husain added.<div>SOLUTIONS</div>Kulayan said the National Amnesty Commission would try issuing a Safe Conduct Pass that would be arranged locally. Under the amnesty program, he said the Safe Conduct Pass would also be provided when former combatants apply for amnesty. &quot;Ito ay local arrangement natin because mayroon tayong usapang pangkapayapaan between the MILF and the government. At kapag naibigay namin ang safe conduct pass sa inyo, magagamit po ninyo ‘yun,&quot; Kulayan said. &quot;Mapapawalang bisa lang ‘yon kapag na amnesty o na-deny. So &#x27;yong safe conduct pass niyo po ay hanggang termination ng inyong amnesty application,“ he added.Meanwhile, Akmad Abas, a former MILF commander now a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament, expressed his gratitude to the President. Abas said he was convinced that the government is sincere in implementing the amnesty program. The NAC assured those in the forum that the rules of procedure they are formulating would ensure the speedy disposition of amnesty applications. NAC added that it is already capacitating its secretariats and local amnesty boards while awaiting the new proclamations that will reopen the application period. The commission has so far established 9 local amnesty boards in various parts of the country and are located in Manila, Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Cotabato, Pagadian, Isabela, and Jolo in Sulu.To help facilitate the processing of amnesty applications and to make the grant of amnesty fully effective, the NAC already entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Bureau of Investigation for the latter to delete or note the grant of amnesty on the records of the subject grantee so it will appear that as if the applicant had committed no offense.<div>— Lerio Bompat, ABS-CBN News</div>

Former MILF combatants raised questions about their ongoing criminal cases and the authorities' continued operations against MILF members.