THE City Government of Davao, through Peace 911, facilitated the application for amnesty of former rebels (FRs) during the four-day amnesty application workshop on December 9–12.
FRs, members of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), Julie Dayaday, Head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), Peace Center Manager, Amnesty Program Focal Person, and City Legal Officer were present during the activity.
The workshop was conducted to assist the FRs with their application for amnesty by Proclamation No. 404, Series of 2023.
Proclamation No. 404 grants amnesty to former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People's Army, and the National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) who committed crimes by their participation or in pursuance of their political beliefs.
Atty. Jonah Margarette Presto, Peace 911 Focal Person, in an interview, said that assisting FRs in their amnesty application is an important part of the holistic approach to healing and reconciliation.
“Davao City has been declared insurgency-free since 2022, so this is still part of the healing and reconciliation by assisting former rebels who, most of them, were also victims of this politically-motivated movements before,” she said.
Most of the applicants are already re-integrated into the community and are now living normal lives, however, they still have existing cases due to their previous involvement with communist-terrorist groups.
Presto also said that other than assisting in the reintegration of FRs into the community, Peace 911 aims to eradicate the stigma against former rebels. CIO