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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PBBM's amnesty grant to rebels a path to peace, call for sincerity—Bong Go

PBBM's amnesty grant to rebels a path to peace, call for sincerity—Bong Go

Published Nov 26, 2023 06:11 am

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go lauded the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to grant amnesty to former rebels saying it is “a path to peace” and a call for sincerity on the side of both the government and the insurgents.

 

“I laud President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., for granting amnesty to former rebels, including those presently charged or detained communist insurgents and secessionists,” Go said in a statement.

 

The senator stressed that the sorrow of witnessing Filipinos in conflict over differing beliefs, has a strong negative impact on the families of the deceased.

 

"Katulad ng sinasabi ko pa noon, masakit makita na ang mga Pilipino ay nakikipagpatayan sa kapwa Pilipino dahil lang sa pagkakaiba ng paniniwala sa buhay. Kung merong namamatay man na sundalo at rebelde, pinakakawawa dito ang mga naulilang pamilya nila (As I’ve said before, it hurts to see Filipinos killing fellowmen just because they have different views in life. If there are soldiers and rebels who die, their families are the most affected),” Go remarked.

 

Marcos earlier signed Proclamations 403 to 406, which covers former members of groups such as the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPMP-RPA-ABB), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). 

 

Crimes included in the amnesty are rebellion, insurrection, and other offenses committed in pursuit of political beliefs.

 

Executive Order No. (EO) 47, which amended EO No. 125, also updated the National Amnesty Commission's (NAC's) role in processing amnesty applications.

 

The senator said the root causes of rebellion—poverty and lack of government services—are the key factors that the state has to improve on by pursuing housing, education, health, agriculture, and livelihood programs for them and to encourage rebels to reintegrate and live peacefully.

 

Go also recalled the “whole-of-nation” approach done before by former president Rodrigo Duterte into resolving the decades-old conflict and peace process in the country and is grateful for the Marcos administration’s ongoing efforts to realize the goal of long-term peace.

 

The government, he said, should exhaust all means to bring such public services to these people, especially through the Balik-Loob Program, overseen by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

 

Go said the program primarily aims to reintegrate former rebels into mainstream society by offering various forms of assistance and legal protections.

 

The Balik-Loob Program is a key initiative of the Philippine government and is officially known as the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). 

 

Related Tags

Bong Go insurgency NTF ELCAC PBBM amnesty program
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