Panayam kay National Amnesty Commission Chairperson Atty. Leah Tanodra-Armamento
Panayam kay National Amnesty Commission Chairperson Atty. Leah Tanodra-Armamento
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00:00 Executive Order No. 47,
00:02 we will discuss this with
00:04 Atty. Lea Tanodra Armamento,
00:07 Chairperson of the National Amnesty Commission.
00:10 Atty., good afternoon
00:12 and welcome to the new Philippines.
00:15 Thank you for inviting us here.
00:20 Good afternoon to you and your fellow citizens.
00:25 First of all, Atty.,
00:27 what can you say about the proclamations
00:31 of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
00:33 regarding the amnesty
00:35 for the rebel groups?
00:37 Actually, Weng,
00:41 on behalf of the National Amnesty Commission,
00:44 we want to thank the President
00:45 for keeping his promise
00:47 that he will issue the new proclamations
00:50 for the amnesty of the rebel groups.
00:54 So, he really fulfilled his promise
00:57 that before the year ends,
00:59 there will be a new proclamation.
01:01 The first thing he did,
01:03 he strengthened the National Amnesty Commission.
01:09 Next, he issued the proclamations
01:13 403, 404, 405, 406.
01:19 The 403 is the RPAABB.
01:23 The 404 is the CPP-NPA-NDF.
01:29 I think this is something new
01:33 because in President Duterte's issuance,
01:36 the proclamation refers to this group
01:39 as a communist terrorist group.
01:41 Now, in President Marcos' proclamation,
01:44 he refers to it as the CPP-NPA-NDF,
01:48 which was really the name
01:50 that we know them as a group.
01:53 And then he issued also proclamations 405
01:57 for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
02:00 and 406 for the Moro National Liberation Front,
02:08 which will cover the MLF, the rebel group,
02:12 and this will cover the amnesty
02:15 of these rebel groups.
02:16 So, Ma'am, there are only four groups
02:20 that will be given amnesty by our President.
02:24 So, Ma'am, before we continue,
02:27 for our countrymen to know,
02:29 what is the mandate of the National Amnesty Commission?
02:32 And what was the plan in the first EO
02:35 up to the functions of the MAC?
02:38 Okay. Thank you very much, Asec.
02:41 The previous Executive Order
02:48 issued by President Duterte
02:50 was to strengthen the National Amnesty Commission
02:55 because the National Amnesty Commission
02:58 is mandated to process the applications
03:02 of all rebel groups named in the proclamations.
03:07 The President strengthened it in such a way
03:11 that we are now given the leeway on our budget
03:17 and we file it directly
03:19 with the Department of Budget and Management.
03:22 We are no longer included in the budget
03:26 of the Office of the Presidential Advisor
03:29 on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity.
03:32 So, it's a big thing
03:34 because our amnesty processing
03:40 without going through the processes
03:43 of another government agency.
03:45 So, it's a big thing
03:47 and we are thankful to the President.
03:50 Aside from that,
03:51 the President did not change anything.
03:53 What he changed in the proclamations
03:56 is that President Duterte's proclamations
04:00 gave us only one year
04:03 from the time the issuance of the proclamations.
04:08 President Marcos gave us two years
04:12 from the time that the Congress
04:15 concurred to the proclamation.
04:18 So, it's a big thing
04:20 because that will give us enough room
04:22 to accommodate all applicants.
04:25 Because you know,
04:26 some have warrant of arrest,
04:29 and some are hiding.
04:31 So, we have to reach out to them.
04:33 And I think it will take time for us
04:36 to look for them
04:38 and locate where they are
04:40 and go to their places.
04:42 As what has been done before
04:43 by the National Amnesty Commission before us,
04:46 that they go to the places
04:48 where these rebels are located.
04:51 Okay, Chairwoman Lea Armamento,
04:56 this is Nina Corpus.
04:58 I'm here with Asick Hueng.
05:00 Can you explain the new processes
05:04 that you're talking about in the amnesty
05:07 for the rebelling groups
05:09 under the proclamations?
05:11 Thank you very much, Madam Hueng.
05:16 We are given the authority
05:19 to create local amnesty boards.
05:22 So far, we have nine local amnesty boards
05:26 because the CPP-NPA then,
05:30 the proclamations were not concurred by Congress.
05:34 So, there was no local amnesty board
05:38 that was created in areas where they are located.
05:41 So, we created the local amnesty board.
05:44 This group will be the one
05:46 that will determine the identity,
05:50 the affiliation or membership
05:54 to assert to either of the four rebel groups.
05:58 And then, we also notify if they have cases.
06:02 And so far, we have a memorandum of agreement
06:08 with the National Bureau of Investigation
06:10 because they have the complete data
06:13 on what cases a person has.
06:15 So that when a person comes to us
06:18 to apply for amnesty,
06:20 he will be informed that these are the cases
06:23 that are filed against him.
06:26 And then, we will also go to prisons
06:31 to those people under detention
06:34 or those who are also convicted.
06:36 And then, they have to file a written application
06:39 under oath and then, we process it.
06:43 The processing of the local amnesty board
06:46 includes looking into the cases that they have.
06:50 And we will vet that.
06:52 And if there is an offended party,
06:55 private person, we have to notify the private person
06:59 because amnesty covers only the crimes you committed
07:04 pursuant to your political belief.
07:07 It does not cover the damages that you caused
07:10 to an individual person.
07:12 And then, if the local amnesty board approves,
07:16 then they submit it to the National Amnesty Commission,
07:20 which is composed of me,
07:23 the two commissioners,
07:25 Commissioner Attorney Nasser Mohamed Salik
07:28 and Attorney Jamar Kulayan.
07:30 And then, we have four ex-officio members,
07:33 namely the Secretary of National Defense,
07:37 the Secretary of Justice,
07:39 the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government,
07:42 and the Presidential Advisor
07:46 on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity.
07:49 Then, we will decide what to recommend to the President.
07:55 So, we recommend to the President, submit it to the President,
07:58 who has the final say whether or not to grant the amnesty.
08:03 In the meantime, those who have warrants of arrest
08:07 will be issued a safe conduct pass.
08:11 And we will also request the National Prosecution Service
08:16 to take appropriate action insofar as their cases
08:20 are concerned that are pending in court
08:23 or pending with the National Prosecution Service.
08:26 Ultimately, Ma'am Weng, it is the President
08:29 who will grant the amnesty to the applicants.
08:33 We are just recommendatory.
08:35 Thank you, Ma'am Weng.
08:37 So, for now, how many amnesty applications
08:39 have you processed, Ma'am?
08:42 As of now, we haven't processed any yet
08:50 because we still need to concur with the Congress,
08:54 the House of Representatives, and the Senate
08:57 on the proclamations issued by the President.
09:02 So, that needs to take effect, the proclamations.
09:07 After that, then we will have to receive them.
09:10 Many are already waiting,
09:13 especially our Moral Islamic Liberation Front members.
09:19 So, Ma'am, you said that only four groups
09:21 can apply here, the MNLF, MILF, CPPNPA, and...
09:29 RPAABD.
09:31 The RPAABD.
09:33 The Alex Bungkayo Brigade.
09:35 Yes, okay.
09:36 So, Ma'am, what if, for example, the BIFF,
09:39 we know that the MILF is a breakaway group of the MNLF.
09:44 So, when our brothers and sisters in the MILF
09:49 came back together, a breakaway group was formed,
09:51 the BIFF, the Moral Islamic Freedom Fighters.
09:54 What if they want to apply for amnesty?
09:58 Can they do that or will they go through the vetting process?
10:03 Yes, Ma'am.
10:05 We will consider all those who will apply to us.
10:09 And then we will process and vet them.
10:13 So, as far as BIFF is concerned,
10:15 as far as I know, they were proscribed
10:19 or they were named as terrorist group.
10:23 So, if they apply, we will only look at their offenses
10:29 committed as members of the Moral Islamic Liberation Front.
10:33 So, that's what we will look at,
10:35 not the other offenses committed after they broke away
10:40 from the Moral Islamic Liberation Front.
10:43 Okay, Ma'am. Let's be clear.
10:46 You mentioned the four groups.
10:50 So, who are the groups that are not included
10:53 for sure in this amnesty program?
10:56 What are the groups that are not included?
11:00 Actually, Ma'am, it's easier to say
11:07 what groups are included.
11:10 So, if the President said that the groups included in his proclamation,
11:15 that's all.
11:16 Other than that, Ma'am, they are not included.
11:19 Okay. What are the scope and limitations of this,
11:24 even for the members?
11:26 What are the limitations of the government
11:29 in giving this amnesty?
11:34 Ma'am, in the proclamation of the President,
11:37 he enumerated the crimes that are covered by amnesty.
11:43 It is like rebellion,
11:46 those that are in pursuit of their political belief.
11:50 But even if it was, you committed a crime
11:56 in pursuit of your political belief,
11:58 but it is kidnapping for ransom,
12:00 that's not covered, Ma'am.
12:01 The President has specific enumeration
12:04 that it is not covered, like rape,
12:07 offenses committed for personal gains,
12:11 robbery, that's what he said.
12:13 So, what the President said is very specific.
12:16 Here, Ma'am, in one paragraph,
12:19 the President said that kidnapping for ransom,
12:23 massacre, rape, terrorism,
12:27 crimes against chastity,
12:30 crimes committed for personal ends,
12:32 and then violations of the Dangerous Drugs Act,
12:36 crimes committed against the offenses
12:41 that are defined by the United Nations,
12:45 such as genocide, crimes against humanity,
12:49 war crimes, torture, enforced disappearances,
12:54 and other gross violations of human rights.
12:58 What is the importance of the President's
13:02 promise to give amnesty to the rebels?
13:05 This is very important, Ma'am,
13:10 because we have many rebels,
13:14 and, just like this, Ma'am,
13:16 the members of the CPP-NPA,
13:18 Ma'am, the CPP-NPA is very particular
13:21 because they were designated
13:25 by our Anti-Terrorism Council as terrorists.
13:30 So, the only ones covered here
13:33 are those who are already former rebels.
13:37 So, it means that they went back to the government.
13:40 And there are many of them, Ma'am,
13:43 who surrendered to our law enforcers,
13:47 that's why they have many cases.
13:49 So, it's a very good promise of the President
13:54 that the one who surrendered
13:57 will be given the right to live in peace.
14:02 So, all of his civil and political rights,
14:05 like the right to vote,
14:07 the right to be elected to a public office,
14:10 the right to be appointed to a government office,
14:14 this is returned by amnesty.
14:17 So, we are giving them the opportunity
14:19 to become productive members of our community.
14:23 They will no longer hide here,
14:28 they will no longer be a burden to our community
14:33 because they will now have the opportunity to find a life.
14:37 So, just a follow-up, Ma'am,
14:39 if you say that they will go back to the government,
14:42 they will have a new life,
14:43 will they also get benefits
14:46 like the Eclipse,
14:48 where the surrenders are given a generous amount
14:52 for their new life?
14:54 Ma'am, that won't come from the National Amnesty Commission.
15:00 That's from OPAPRO,
15:03 the Office of the Presidential Advisor
15:05 on the Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity.
15:07 That's from the DSWD, from Eclipse.
15:10 Ma'am, our peace process is a whole-of-government approach.
15:16 So, we are just one of the ways
15:22 to help those who have become rebels in the government
15:26 and are now returning to the government.
15:28 So, as far as we are concerned, Ma'am,
15:30 we will not receive any monetary assistance.
15:34 Okay, Attorney,
15:35 we have a question here from our colleague in the media,
15:39 Alvin Baltazar of Radio Pilipinas.
15:42 How much was allocated to your budget
15:45 from the National Amnesty Commission?
15:47 And when will the application for amnesty be opened?
15:51 Ma'am, so far,
15:55 our budget is P88 million.
15:58 And then, we are asking for P60 million,
16:05 but it was allocated to the UN program.
16:08 So, we will be short of money
16:11 because we will have a new local amnesty board
16:17 for the Communist Party of the Philippines, NPA, and DF.
16:22 We will start accepting applications, Ma'am,
16:29 as soon as the Congress,
16:32 which is the House of Representatives and the Senate,
16:37 concurs on the proclamations of President Marcos.
16:41 Thank you very much, Ma'am.
16:43 Please send a message to our fellow countrymen.
16:46 We, the members of the National Amnesty Commission,
16:52 we were created by President Duterte
16:56 and strengthened by President Marcos.
16:59 We are here ready to assist the government
17:04 and the Filipino people in our quest for a more lasting peace.
17:09 Anytime, we have our website,
17:13 you can, or a telephone number,
17:16 you can call us for any inquiry that you may need
17:20 so that we can clarify with you the amnesty process.
17:25 Thank you very much.
17:27 All right. Thank you very much for your time,
17:30 Attorney Lea Tanodra Armamento,
17:34 Chairperson of the National Amnesty Commission.
17:36 [TAKE VO]VO