Government sets terms of amnesty

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday released the text of proclamations that President Rodrigo Duterte signed earlier this month granting amnesty to rebels.

The four proclamations, dated Feb. 5, granted amnesty to members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front, Revolutionary Proletariat Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, Communist Party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front of the Philippines, New People’s Army and their front organizations.

Crimes under the Revised Penal Code and other special laws that may be pardoned include rebellion or insurrection; conspiracy and proposal to commit rebellion or insurrection; disloyalty of public officers or employees; inciting to rebellion or insurrection; sedition; conspiracy to commit sedition; inciting to sedition; illegal assembly; illegal association; direct assault; indirect assault; resistance and disobedience to a person in authority or the agents of such person; tumults and other disturbances of public order; unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances; and alarms and scandals.

Also deemed pardonable is illegal possession of firearms, ammunition or explosives, provided that this was committed in furtherance of, incident to, or in connection with the crimes of rebellion or insurrection.

Those charged, detained or convicted of common crimes who can establish that they have committed these in pursuit of political beliefs are also eligible for amnesty.

Not included are crimes of kidnapping for ransom, massacre, rape and crimes against chastity, terrorism, crimes committed for personal ends, drug-related crimes, as well as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and gross violations of human rights as defined by the Geneva Conventions and the United Nations.

For MILF members, amnesty is an integral part of the comprehensive 2014 peace agreement between the government and the secessionist group.

Applications for amnesty will be filed with and processed by the newly created National Amnesty Commission.

—Jerome Aning