Marcos orders safe conduct passes for thousands of Mindanao ex-rebels

MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday, April 11, ordered the issuance of safe conduct passes to thousands of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members and other former rebels with pending arrest warrants, a move intended to give the peace process a boost in the Bangsamoro region.

Speaking at the Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters, Marcos said the order was part of the national government’s broader push to “open doors to those who sincerely wish to return to the fold of the law.”

“Ngayong araw na ito, nais kong iparating sa inyo: Bukas po ang aming pinto (Today, I want to tell you: our door is open),” Marcos said at Camp Siongco.

The order authorized the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) to grant safe conduct passes to qualified amnesty applicants – about 2,517  individuals – allowing them temporary protection from arrest, detention, or prosecution while their applications are being processed.

Government records show that the MILF has 539 applicants, the Moro National Liberation Front has 298, while the Communist Party of the Philippines–National Democratic Front has 1,615, and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade has 65.

“Ang mga Safe Conduct Passes na ito ay hindi lamang magbibigay ng proteksyon sa mga aplikante ng amnestiya laban sa pagka-aresto, pagkakulong, at pag-uusig. Higit sa lahat, ito ay isang paanyaya sa lahat ng rebelde na ihinto ang armadong pakikibaka,” Marcos said.

(These safe conduct passes will not only provide protection to amnesty applicants against arrest, detention, and prosecution. More importantly, they are an invitation to all rebels to end the armed struggle.)

National Amnesty Chairperson Leah Tanodra-Armamento said she was optimistic that the move would double the number of our amnesty applicants

“Today is a big step for us. 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 kind-hearted act of giving them a new start in the life of a free man,” she said.

The move followed delays in the implementation of the amnesty program for former rebels due to legal concerns over pending criminal cases, many of which are related to the decades-long armed conflict in Mindanao.

While previous peace agreements paved the way for the decommissioning of MILF fighters and the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), thousands of former combatants still face arrest despite laying down their arms.

“This is very important. It’s really another milestone when it comes to looking for the normalization. Most of our combatants are afraid because we were tagged as criminals,” said BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdularaof Macacua who also heads the MILF’s armed wing..

“Everyone who wants to apply. This is now the right time because the President already granted the request for the application of amnesty. In fact, this signing today is a very significant step towards that proposal,” he added.

A safe conduct pass serves as a formal assurance from the government that the holder will not be arrested while engaging in peace-related or administrative processes, such as amnesty hearings and participating in the electoral processes.

However, it does not automatically dismiss criminal charges and is valid only during the pendency of the amnesty application.

“Alam natin na marami ang nagnanais na mamuhay nang mapayapa at naaayon sa batas, ngunit ang mga kasong naisampa laban sa kanila ay nagiging balakid sa kanilang pagbabago,” Marcos said.

(We know that many want to live peacefully and in accordance with the law, but the cases filed against them have become obstacles to their transformation.)

The order was given in the presence of Macacua, top military officials, and representatives of both the MILF and MNLF.

The MILF signed a peace accord with the government in 2014 after decades of conflict that claimed over 120,000 lives. Despite political gains and the transition to regional self-rule, sporadic violence and deep-rooted mistrust persist in some communities.

“Kaya ngayong araw na ito, muli nating pinatutunayan na mas mangingibabaw ang pagkaka-isang-lahi,” Marcos said. “Piliin natin ang tama patungo sa isang mapayapa at maunlad na kinabukasan para sa ating mga anak at sa buong sambayanang Pilipino.”

(So today, we reaffirm that national unity must prevail above all. Let us choose what is right toward a peaceful and prosperous future for our children and for all Filipinos.) – Rappler.com