Around 10,000 communist rebels are expected to avail themselves of the amnesty the government is pushing under the current administration, Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. said.
Galvez said the government expects around 8,000 to 10,000 rebels to accept the grant of amnesty, pending approval in the Senate.
"May nakita po kami na mga more or less mga 8,000 to 10,000 po (We are expecting more or less 8,000 to 10,000)," Galvez said during a press briefing on Wednesday, Aug. 17.
He said this is based on the 26,414 members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People's Army (CPP-NPA) who have surrendered.
Galvez said of this number, they are only expecting around 2,000 rebels facing cases.
When asked for development on drafting a proposed measure for the amnesty program, the presidential peace adviser said they are still waiting for the guidance of the Senate.
"We are still waiting for the guidance of the Senate considering that during our Senate hearing before, it was turned down by then-Senator Ping Lacson because of the ongoing hearing of the ano po. (whatever). So we will just defer the comment on this, considering that the process is ongoing," Galvez said.
The Presidential peace adviser also renewed the government's call to the rebels to "talk with us."
He also said that they are waiting for the guidance of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on the process of negotiation with the CPP-NPA-NDF in Norway.