Insurgency: It's All About Peace

A few weeks ago a group pf alleged rebels were acquitted by the court. The NTF-ELCAC called it lawfare, claiming the Reds were gaming the system to get away with their crimes. In reality the case was weak and the government could not prove its case. The same thing has happened once again.  

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/658711/court-acquits-mabinay-6

A trial court in Dumaguete City has junked the criminal charges against Mabinay 6, the group of young adults tagged as communist rebels and arrested by the military in Mabinay town, Negros Oriental in 2018.

Branch 42 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental acquitted the group of all five criminal charges filed against them.

Mabinay 6 is composed of Myles Albasin, Carlo Ybañez, Ajomar Indico, Randel Hermino, Joel Baylosis, and Bernard Guillen. 

Among the charges filed against them were illegal possession of firearms. Since their arrest, they spent roughly seven years in jail. 

Collectively referred to as the Mabinay 6, in 2018, they were arrested in what the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army described as a shootout in the hinterland of Mabinay town on March 3, a claim that was belied by their family and friends. 

Albasin was a journalist and an activist at the time of her arrest.

These people were unjustly jailed for seven years. In a just world the trial would have been much speedier but this is not a just world, it's the Philippines. Leila de Lima as jailed for the same amount of time on bogus charges. 

The Army says they respect the decision of the court and vow to "improve when it comes to legalities during combat operations."

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259372

The Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade in Negros Oriental respects the court’s decision to set free six youth activists who were incarcerated for seven years for alleged illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

“We always abide by the rule of law and we respect the decision of the court in the case of the Mabinay 6,” Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, 302nd brigade commander, said in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday.

Those freed were identified by the military as members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

They were arrested in 2018 during an encounter with troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion in Mabinay town.

Government troops recovered during the encounter high-powered firearms and explosives, purportedly from the six, who denied the allegations against them.

Judge Marie Rose Inocando of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 42, ruled that the prosecutors failed to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt and that the police handled the evidence poorly.

Jumawan said the acquittal provided a valuable lesson for both the military and the police in improving their legal procedures.

“We take this as a sign that we should improve when it comes to legalities during combat operations,” he said.

The brigade commander hopes that young individuals learn a lesson from the Mabinay 6 experience, saying that seven years spent in jail meant several lost opportunities.

How many times is this going to happen? How many times will potential criminals be exonerated because the authorities "handled the evidence poorly?" This is a problem throughout the law enforcement community. 

Another key leader of the leaderless NPA has surrendered to the AFP. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259403

A key leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered in Lope de Vega, Northern Samar, due to relentless focused military operations in the area, the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division (ID) said on Wednesday.

The military did not identify the rebel leader, but described him as the vice leader of Squad 3, Regional Security Force of the NPA’s Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC).

After his surrender on Tuesday, the NPA leader revealed to authorities the location of a buried arms cache in the upland San Isidro village in Matuguinao, Samar, containing one M16 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, and two magazines for the .45 caliber pistol, the 8th ID said in a statement.

Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, 8th ID commander, lauded the rebel leader's decision to surrender and his cooperation in recovering the hidden firearms cache.

“This proves that our comprehensive and decisive military approaches and strengthened local government partnerships have effectively weakened the EVRPC’s operational capabilities,” he said.

Orio reiterated his call on those still embracing the armed struggle to return to the folds of the law and be with their families.

He added that the Enhanced Local Integration Program and other interventions from the government can rebuild the rebels' lives and help contribute to lasting peace and development in Northern Samar.

Funny how NPA leaders keep falling despite the AFP claiming they are leaderless. No doubt this man will be able to avail of E-CLIP benefits. He will also likely be able to apply for amnesty. 

Recently the National Amnesty Commission's budget of 217 million pesos was defended in Congress. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/25/its-all-about-peace-brian-poe-defends-national-amnesty-commissions-p217-m-budget

FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Rep. Brian Poe highlighted the importance of prioritizing peace as he successfully defended the proposed ₱217-million budget of the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) for 2026.

Interpellating Poe as the budget sponsor of the NAC were on Thursday night, Sept. 25 in the plenary debates on the proposed 2026 national budget were House minority bloc members Dinagat Islands lone district Rep. Kaka Bag-ao and Gabriela Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.

“Before we consider other options, the first option we should always consider is peace," Poe, a vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, said during Bag-ao's interpellation of NAC.

"And we should always invest in that. And the fact that our colleague was able to bring up areas of the NAC that could possibly need additional funding is good. So that we know where we can add funding to incentivize the return of our Kababayans to a more peaceful path," he said.

"And I believe that this budget is a good budget and I hope that our colleagues here in the House can continue to support it," reckoned Poe, a neophyte solon in the 20th Congress.

The NAC's main task is to manage applications for amnesty--a process designed to end conflicts and reintegrate former rebels into society. Poe confirmed that the NAC is targeting 50,000 applicants for amnesty in 2026—well beyond its current funding.

“We’re looking at 50,000 applicants and it’s P20,000 per applicant. So, we’re looking at an additional P100,000,000,” he explained.

Bagao responded "I cannot overemphasize the importance of the National Amnesty Commission. This should be the exclamation point for the peace process as we consider granting amnesty through Balik-loob program."

"That's why I would like to manifest with the speaker that I support the request for additional P100,000,000 budget for the National Amnesty Commission. And that I also support the activity so that we can fully give a good ending to the peace process," she said.

The budget sponsor expressed his full support for expanding NAC’s resources.

Poe also responded to the Makabayan bloc's Elago, who raised very specific concerns about irregularities in field operations.

“The case that our colleague mentioned is highly irregular. It needs to be, as I’ve been told, it needs to be voluntary," he said.

Lastly, on Elago's question of where complaints should be filed in cases of forced surrender, Poe explained:

“First of all, because the mentioned identity was as a DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) representative, maybe the first complaint is to the DSWD. Second, based on the NAC, they said they can only receive applications for amnesty…It would be CHR (Commission on Human Rights) if ever that would be involved in this particular situation.”

The plenary discussion on the NAC budget was terminated or concluded shortly after. However, the debates on the other agency allocations under the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2026 is still ongoing as of this posting.

So, the NAC is targeting 50,000 people in 2026 alone which is beyond their funding. This all hinges on ex-rebels actually applying.  As of now that figure is incredibly high compared real world achievements. The National Amnesty Commission says 2,772 reformer rebels have applied for amnesty. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/24/nac-processes-2772-amnesty-applications-from-ex-rebels

A total of 2,772 former rebels from different parts of the country have filed amnesty applications with the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) through the local amnesty boards (LABs), government data showed Friday, May 23.

And they want to target 50,000 people in next year alone?  Where are these ex-rebels? 

In Maguindano Sur 18 rebels surrendered.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1259503

Eighteen former Moro extremists voluntarily surrendered to the military in Maguindanao del Sur on Wednesday afternoon, declaring they were tired of hiding from military offensives, the Army reported Thursday.

Lt. Col. Christian V. Cabading, commander of the Army’s 92nd Infantry Battalion (92IB), presented the surrenderers and their firearms to visiting Maj. Gen. Ramon P. Zagala, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division based at Camp Capinpin, Tanay, Rizal.

The surrenderers were formerly associated with the Dawlah Islamiyah (DI) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), all operating in Maguindanao del Sur, specifically in the adjoining towns of Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Shariff Aguak, and Mamasapano.

“Their decision to lay down arms and return to the folds of the law reflects courage, reconciliation, and the hope of starting anew with their families and communities,” Cabading said in a statement.

Aside from the 18 firearms turned over by the surrenderers, 24 other loose firearms were surrendered through the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program.

The surrendered weapons include rocket-propelled grenades, sniper rifles, grenade launchers, shotguns, pistols, and revolvers.

“Each firearm handed over reduces the instruments of violence and brings us closer to a safer community,” Cabading said.

During Wednesday’s surrender rites, Zagala stressed the importance of education in building lasting peace in communities.

“We erase ignorance and prejudice with education,” he said, addressing the former combatants.

He underscored that by spreading knowledge, communities can break free from the cycle of violence and misunderstanding that extremist groups exploit.

He urged the former extremists to ensure that their children availed of the government’s free education program, their ticket to personal development.

Zagala lauded the surrenderers for choosing peace over violence, commending their bravery to embrace a new beginning for themselves and their families.

Zagala also commended the 92IB for exceeding mission expectations, especially through peace-building efforts that foster trust among the people.

In Zamboanga 10 ASG supporters surrendered.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2115185/10-asg-supporters-surrender-turn-over-firearms-in-zamboanga-city

Ten supporters of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) from Sulu province surrendered to the authorities on Tuesday in Zamboanga City.

Maj. Shellamie Chang, information officer of the Police Regional Office in Region 9, said the 10 individuals, all men, aged between 28 and 69, were presented to Brig. General Eleazar Matta, regional director of PRO-9 by the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB-9) and the Sulu Police Provincial Office.

Chang said the surrenderers, residents of Maimbung, Tapul, Indanan, and Jolo, turned over a cache of 32 assorted firearms, like high-powered rifles, grenade launchers, and improvised weapons such as M14, M16A1, and M1 Garand rifles, homemade submachine guns, Thompson firearms, M79 and M203 grenade launchers, AK-47, FN FAL G1, and other modified weapons.

Chang said the surrenders had long been inactive from the ASG in their area, though it was just recently that they decided to turn over the weapons to the authorities.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development and the police committed on Thursday to provide financial assistance to the 10 surrenderees as part of the government’s reintegration and rehabilitation initiatives, while still coordinating with other government agencies like the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU).

All of those men are likely eligible for amnesty. But where will those 50,000 ex-rebels come from?