TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte — Former rebels recently participated in a weeklong Legal Case Management and Amnesty Application Workshop, during which 27 amnesty applications with complete attachments were completed.
Held on August 25 to 30, 2025 at Balay Silangan, Asuncion, the activity was led and organized by the Provincial Task Force (PTF)-Elcac, Enhanced Amnesty Program (EAP) Cluster of the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte.
The workshop generated the technical support from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity Local Conflict Transformation Field Implementation Support Unit in Mindanao (Opapru-LCT-FISU-Mindanao), Kalinaw Southeastern Mindanao, and units under the 1003rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army.
The 27 applications consisted of 15 from the 56th Infantry Battalion (IB); seven from the 60th IB; two from the 89th IB; one from the 103 Military Intelligence Company; one from the 27th IB, and one from the 1003rd Inf Brigade.
Davao del Norte provincial government through the Balay Pasilungan formally endorsed the 27 to the Local Amnesty Board (LAB) Secretariat in Davao City for a case conference.
The former rebels including those in the custody of various units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and those with pending or no cases — were fully assisted by concerned agencies of the local and national government from document review, case-folder building, to filing.
Actively taking part during the workshop were the Kalinaw Southeastern Mindanao FR members, who helped explain the process to their fellow former rebels, especially those from the Ata Manobo tribe in the Municipality of Talaingod.
Ida Marie Montero, vice president for External Affairs of Kalinaw Southeastern Mindanao Region (SEMR), said that the increasing number of applicants showed the growing trust among FRs in the government’s mechanisms and on the “shared commitment to peace and development.”
“Kun luwas ming makalihok, kanang dili mi mahadlok nga ma-aresto o mapreso, mas makatabang mi sa atong peace-building efforts. Labaw sa tanan, paspas nga makabalik mi sa normal nga kinabuhi,” Montero said.
(If we are free to move, without fear of getting arrested or be put in prison, we can be more of help in the peace-building efforts. Above all, we can immediately go back to our normal lives.)
Present during the duration of the workshop, Montero was also among the 12 endorsed applicants who received the safe conduct pass during the ceremony at the PRO-Davao, helping them move, work, and access services while their cases were being processed.
Opapru-LCT-FISU Mindanao will continue the case-folder workshops, facilitate interventions for FRs with pending cases or unserved warrants in line with efforts to fastrack the E-Clip and Amnesty Program.
These efforts include database-driven profiling and tracking of FRs and their families to ensure sustainment of livelihood, education, and psychosocial support after legal processing. PIA DAVAO WITH KALINAW-SEM