Cotabato City—Members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) are set to regain their civil and political rights under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s amnesty program.
National Amnesty Commission (NAC) Commissioner Atty. Jamar Kulayan discussed the details of the amnesty grants during an interview on May 20, 2024, in Cotabato City.
“The amnesty is granted to former rebels who, due to their political beliefs, fought against the government and were subsequently deprived of their rights to vote, run for office, and manage their properties,” Kulayan explained.
In November 2023, President Marcos granted amnesty to the ex-Moro rebels—the MILF and the MNLF—under Proclamation Nos. 405 and 406, respectively. This move is part of the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the peace accord that ended the decades-long armed struggle between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF.
Kulayan stated that ex-combatants can apply for the amnesty grant by downloading and filling out the forms available on the NAC Facebook page or by visiting any Local Amnesty Board (LAB) across the Philippines. In Mindanao, LABs are located in the cities of Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro, Pagadian, Davao, and Isabela, as well as in Sulu Province.
Applicants have until March 4, 2026, to apply, exactly two years after the Senate adopted the Proclamations following rigorous interpellations during the Body’s 63rd plenary session on March 4 this year.
Kulayan urged former combatants to take advantage of the amnesty program, saying, “This is the most generous offer from the government, giving you two years to apply for amnesty.”
The NAC’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR), adopted on March 14, aim to expedite the application process with support from the NAC and other concerned agencies.
“According to the IRR, individuals seeking amnesty must file their applications with the LAB, where initial eligibility assessments will be conducted. The LAB will then forward its recommendations to the NAC, which will review and pass on its suggestions to the President for final approval,” stated the NAC Facebook page.
Kulayan also reassured ex-rebels with ongoing amnesty application hearings or existing warrants of arrest that they may still apply, with guaranteed security and no apprehension from authorities, by obtaining provisional safe conduct passes from the nearest LAB.
Supporting the normalization process for transitioning combatants aligns with the 11th priority agenda of Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.-with BIO report
