COTABATO CITY (PIA) — The National Amnesty Commission (NAC) is anticipating a substantial increase in the number of applicants for the government’s amnesty program, following the recent signing of Memorandum Circular No. 36 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
The directive authorizes the NAC to issue safe-conduct passes (SCP), which provide protection to amnesty applicants and facilitate their participation in the program.
“Today is a big step for us. With the President’s gesture of granting the amnesty applicants their safe-conduct pass, this will go a long way. This will encourage the applicants who had been in hiding for years to have a first taste of fresh air of freedom and come out to avail of the President’s kindhearted act of giving them a new start of a life of a freeman,” NAC Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento said.
Armamento is confident that “this will surely double the number of our amnesty applicants,” as she believes it represents a significant step in the peace and reconciliation efforts of the Marcos administration.
In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency, Armamento stated that SCPs protect applicants who take advantage of the amnesty program.
With the SCP, she explained, arrest warrants are temporarily suspended, which makes it easier for applicants to come forward and fulfill the necessary requirements.
“I encourage everyone [who is qualified to avail of the amnesty program] because you only have until March 2026 to apply,” Armamento said.
“This is the benevolence of the incumbent president, President Marcos. This is an act of goodness by each president. The next president may not grant it. So avail of it now while it is being given to us,” she underscored further.
As provided under Memorandum Circular No. 36, the SCP offers its holders the following privileges:
- Protection from arrest and prosecution for crimes covered by the subject proclamations;
- Authority and/or conformity of prosecutors to motions for suspension filed by SCP holders in any proceeding for crimes covered by the subject proclamations; and
- Suspension of any reward, and the grant thereof, for the SCP holders’ capture.
The SCP, however, does not grant its holders the right to be released from detention under a valid warrant of arrest, nor does it allow them to possess firearms and/or ammunition. Additionally, it does not automatically provide amnesty to the holders.
The Philippine National Amnesty Program is open to individuals who have participated in rebellion, insurgency, sedition, or other politically motivated offenses.
Specifically, it covers members of groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), and Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA-ABB).
NAC records indicate that they have received 2,517 amnesty applications, which include 1,615 from CPP-NPA-NDF, 539 from MILF, 298 from MNLF, and 65 from RPM-P/RPA-ABB. (DED, PIA Region 12)
