President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has authorized the grant of safe-conduct passes to former rebels applying for amnesty to encourage more former insurgents to avail of the government’s amnesty program.
This was after the President held a ceremonial signing of Memorandum Order No. 36 in Camp Brig. Gen. Gonzalo H. Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao on Friday morning.
MO 36 authorized the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to issue safe conduct passes to former rebels applying for amnesty under Proclamations 403 to 406, which extended the amnesty application period up to November 2025.
Safe from arrest
“It has been observed that rebels and insurgents covered by the abovementioned proclamations are reluctant to apply for amnesty for fear of being arrested,” the President said in his directive.
Mr. Marcos added: “To further encourage amnesty applicants to avail the amnesty program of the government, there is a need to guarantee their safe passage and freedom from arrest during the evaluation and processing of their amnesty applications.”
In his speech in Maguindanao, the President said the grant of safe-conduct passes is not just an offer of protection to former rebels facing arrest warrants for their past crimes, but an invitation to lay down their arms.
“We know that many want to live in peace and in accordance with the law, but the cases filed against them are barring them from doing so. Many are afraid to go home and be with their families,” Mr. Marcos said.
Today, I want to tell you all that our doors are open. If you truly want to change, the government is ready to listen, assist and support you as you rejoin society,” he added.
MO 36 authorized the NAC to issue safe conduct passes to amnesty applicants from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front covered by the said proclamation.
The safe-conduct pass will protect an amnesty applicant from arrest and the prosecution of his or her crimes covered by the said proclamations and suspend the grant of rewards for his or her capture.
Limits of safe conduct
However, the pass will not entitle an amnesty applicant to be released from detention after his or her apprehension due to a valid arrest warrant. The pass holder is also not entitled to possess loose firearms or ammunition.
The directive stressed that a pass does not automatically grant amnesty to the former rebel possessing the pass.
MO 36 also authorized the NAC, through local amnesty boards, to issue provisional passes. However, provisional safe conduct passes are valid for a nonextendable period of 15 days.
The executive issuance tasked the NAC to establish a database management system of all amnesty applicants who were given safe-conduct passes and provisional passes.
The Department of Justice, Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police will be furnished a list of all bearers of such passes.
The issuance of safe-conduct passes is expected to drive up the number of former rebels seeking amnesty under the aforementioned proclamations, Malacañang said.
