Insurgency: National Amnesty Commission

I have stated here many times that the Philippine government including the DND, AFP. and NTF-ECLAC would prefer if all the communist and Islamic insurgents surrender and avail of the many benefits being offered to them. In line with that objective Duterte this week has created a National Amnesty Commission.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130029

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order creating the National Amnesty Commission as a step towards attaining peace in the country, Malacañang said Monday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the commission would be tasked to process applications for amnesty of former rebels and determine whether the applicants are eligible "in connection with the recent amnesty proclamations pending concurrence of Congress".

"Kasama ito sa ating hakbang tungo sa kapayapaan kung saan inalok natin ang kamay ng kapayapaan sa ilang mga grupo para sila po ay bumalik sa normal at payapang buhay(This is one of our steps towards peace wherein we offer a hand of peace to various [rebel] groups to entice them to return to a normal and peaceful life)," Roque said in a press briefing.

"Ang amnesty po, parang hindi nangyari ang mga bagay-bagay na nagawa ng ilang mga grupo ‘no na usually po ay isang krimen na magiging krimen ang rebelyon. Kaya po kinakailangan din ang concurrence sa Kongreso dito dahil binubura hindi lang iyong pangyayari kung hindi pati po ang parusa (In [granting] amnesty, it's as if the crimes committed by certain groups never really happened in the first place. That's why the concurrence of Congress is essential because amnesty not only erases the crime, but also the punishment)," Roque said.

This group will only process applications. In order to grant amnesty the president would need the concurrence go Congress. Article VII, Section 19 of the 1987 Constitution states that the president has the power to grant amnesty with the concurrence of a majority of all the members of the Congress. Apparently as of now there are a lot of applications being filed. Abu Sayyaf and BIFF members are not allowed to apply. One lawmakers wants to change that.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1395877/basilan-lawmaker-bats-for-amnesty-for-all-surrendering-rebels

Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to not limit the government’s amnesty program to members of only some rebel groups who wish to lay down arms and surrender.

Hataman said the government should take the peace process “a step further” and implement a “general amnesty” program.

(Opening our doors to rebels who want to surrender and reintegrate themselves to society is a key towards peace. We have proven that in Basilan.)

“But my question is: Do we include all those who have laid or want to lay down their arms in the amnesty proclamations? Kasama po ba ang ASG (Abu Sayyaf) at BIFF (Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) sa programang ito?” the House leader added.

(Are ASG and BIFF included in this program?)

According to Hataman, many members of ASG and BIFF who have already surrendered are still being arrested and jailed since they are not covered by the amnesty program.

“Karamihan sa kanila, hindi ideolohiya ang dahilan sa pagsali: madami po ang napilitan lang dahil sa kanilang kalagayan sa buhay. Many of them had no choice. Can’t we give them a peaceful option now?” Hataman said.

(Many of them joined not because of ideology: Many of them were forced to join because of the state of their lives.)

Hataman, who introduced and implemented the Program Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) in Basilan, hopes that members of the ASG and BIFF could be included in the program.

“I hope former members of ASG and BIFF will be included in the amnesty program. This will also boost our country’s fight against terrorism and violent extremism, and also a big leap towards peace,” Hataman said.

(Right now, a lot of ASG members surrendered due to PAVE, but their fears remain because they are not covered by the amnesty.)

How exactly would the inclusion of ASG and BIFF int he amnesty program boost the Philippines' fight against terrorism and extremism? How is it a big leap towards peace? It's no excuse to say they had no choice but to join. Everyone has a choice. They made theirs. It is also the choice of the Congress whether or not to grant former BIFF and ASG members amnesty.

Regardless rebels still continue to surrender en masse.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130458

At least 22 members of the MAMBAYU- Alyansang Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon have withdrawn their support from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

Lt. Col. Fitz Macariola, head of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 3, in a statement on Friday said the 22 CPP-NPA supporters took their oath of allegiance to the government in Barangay Yuson, Guimba town on Thursday.

He said two teams from the 303rd Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion, together with the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC)–Nueva Ecija, Guimba Police Station, 3rd Civil Military Operations, 7th Civil Military Operations Battalion and members of the Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo (KKDAT), facilitated the withdrawal of support of the 22 farmers from the terrorist organization.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130488

Thirty former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the province of Zamboanga del Norte have received some PHP1.8 million in total cash assistance from the government, officials announced Friday.

Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the cash aid was distributed during the 1st Quarter Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) meeting in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte last Wednesday.

Nicolas said the financial assistance is part of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) package that will support the former rebels' transition back to the mainstream society as productive members of their communities.

Oliver Ombos, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Zamboanga del Norte provincial director, said 25 of the 30 former NPAs received PHP15,000 each as immediate cash assistance and PHP50,000 livelihood assistance.

Ombos said that four, who were presented to the PPOC, received PHP20,000 each as cash assistance from the provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte, while the other received a PHP120,000 firearm remuneration for the M-14 assault rifle he surrendered.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1388697/police-present-masked-ex-rebels-set-to-receive-aid

Metro Manila’s police chief on Tuesday welcomed some 30 alleged rebels who returned to the fold of the law after years of supposedly giving part of their earnings to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). The surrenderers, who were all wearing masks, were inducted into the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-Clip) so they could become eligible to receive financial and livelihood assistance.

Police Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr., National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director, said the group, composed mostly of truck drivers, had availed themselves of the rebel returnee program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).

They came from Metro Manila and other regions who were convinced to surrender, Danao said. Most of them, he claimed, were fed up with the CPP-NPA’s monthly collection of 10 percent from their salaries.

“They are working hard on their jobs, and yet they are forced to give 10 percent of their salaries every month. So they were the milking cows [of the communist rebels],” he said.

Now this last group is rather suspicious sounding. It sounds like they are truck drivers who were forcibly extorted by the CPP-NPA and not that they were rebels or were disloyal to the state. Others noticed peculiarities in the pictures that led them to question the authenticity of these "rebels."

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2021/01/27/184404/are-they-really-ex-rebels-photos-of-masked-former-npa-surrenderees-spark-suspicion-online/

After the pictures of the alleged NPA members were uploaded by various media outfits, some Filipinos expressed doubts on the surrenderees’ credibility due to some unusual details in the photos. 

A Facebook user claimed that an NPA member will not do a fistbump gesture associated with the Duterte administration since it is “fascist” which is in contrast to a communist’s beliefs. 

He also questioned the physical appearance of the alleged surrenderees and claimed that NPA members “traverse mountains like mountain goats” which supposedly make them fit.

NPA members are known to reside in the hinterlands and remote areas.

The online user likewise commented that “expensive watches, electronic car keys and expensive sports shoes” could be seen on the zoomed-in versions of the photos.

It is stuff like this that raises questions about the huge anti-communist budgets granted to various localities like Davao which received P1.64 billion in such funds.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1395778/p-1-64b-fund-for-davao-city-vs-reds-questioned

“What’s the basis of this large allocation for Davao City? Was it the heartland of the communist insurgency? It’s hard to believe that there were communist guerrillas in the 82 barangays chosen by the NTF-Elcac,” Gaite said in a statement.

“It seems the Duterte camp has started oiling its electoral campaign machinery through the generals’ pork barrel lodged in the NTF-Elcac, and of course their bailiwick Davao, both city and region, gets the lion’s share,” he said.

“Bayan Muna will seek a special audit of these funds in due time. These are very large sums of money that we cannot afford to waste on potentially partisan political spending,” he added.

It's a good question even if the accusations are unfounded. The fund should be audited despite the COA's admission that it is too hard.

Whatever the truth is according to the first report these men are victims of extortion. The RTF-ECLAC says they will be reaching out to such victims.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130208

The Western Visayas Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (WV RTF ELCAC) will reach out to sectors victimized by the revolutionary taxation of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

“This will be the first concerted effort to reach out to victims of extortion activities of NPA,” said associate provincial prosecutor Flosemer Chris Gonzales, chairperson of the Legal Cooperation Cluster (LCC) of the task force in a phone interview on Wednesday.

Gonzales said they would like to assure those who have been victims of the extortion activities of the NPA of their security.

Sinas, he said, has committed that the PNP will be at the disposal of the task force to support its advocacies.

“So there is an assurance that the PNP is onboard, including their community relations division to assist RTF ELCAC in our advocacies,” Gonzales said.

It's not clear exactly what the ECLAC will be doing for victims of NPA extortion. How exactly will the PNP secure them? Extortion is a huge problem for the government because it is a great boon for the CPP-NPA who make P1 billion a year via extortion according to DND Secretary Lorenzana.

One of the ways to fight against extortion activities as well as recruitment has been LGUs declaring the NPA as persona non grata.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130567

All 17 villages in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental have declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its political wing, National Democratic Front (NDF), persona non-grata, the Philippine Amy said in a report on Saturday.

The public declaration was made in a gathering held in the covered court of Barangay Gil Montilla Gil on Feb. 12 after the barangays passed a resolution stating that the communist-terrorist groups are unwelcome in their respective localities.

Lt. Col. Erwin Cariño, commanding officer of 15th Infantry Battalion based in neighboring Cauayan town, said publicly declaring the CPP-NPA-NDF persona non-grata is a bold move in eradicating and preventing the communist-terrorist group’s influence in Sipalay, the top tourist destination in Negros Occidental known for its beaches and dive sites.

“The activity is a good start in devoting ourselves to being exemplars of peace and development…It lifted our resolve and ensured everyone's commitment in fighting and ending the local communist armed conflict…We need to stand up in this fight against terrorism and work together to ensure the protection of the Sipalaynons and their communities,” he added.

This is not the first city to make such a declaration and it won't be the last. Who knows but that telling the NPA they are not wanted will make them go away.

Unsurprisingly the PNP did it again. They posted a cartoon on social media red-tagging a group of people. In this case it was teachers who were the target of their ire.

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2021/02/15/185497/police-stations-in-benguet-cebu-reuse-2018-editorial-cartoon-to-imply-teachers-are-rebel-recruiters/

A graphic posted by some local police stations on social media implied that teachers supposedly recruit students to join communist rebels. 

The graphic in question previously appeared on the social media pages of the Tudela Police Station in Cebu and the Tuba Municipal Police Station in Benguet. 

It featured an illustration of a teacher giving a book to a student but a shadow of them shows the former as a rebel giving a rifle to the latter. 

The graphic has been taken down by the Tudela Police Station as of this writing after it earned criticisms from Filipinos online.

Will the PNP ever learn from their mistakes?