The National Amnesty Commission (NAC) has officially closed the application period for amnesty for former members of three armed groups following the completion of the two-year window provided under presidential proclamations.
The amnesty applications covered individuals affiliated with the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa – Pilipinas and its armed wing, the Revolutionary Proletarian Army including the Alex Boncayao Brigade, as well as members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front.
According to the NAC, the application period ended after the completion of the two-year timeframe mandated under Proclamation No. 403, Proclamation No. 405, and Proclamation No. 406, all issued in 2023.
The commission said it began implementing the program on March 4, 2024 after securing concurrence from both houses of Congress, a constitutional requirement for the enforcement of presidential amnesty proclamations.
Since then, the NAC, together with its Local Amnesty Boards across the country, conducted extensive information campaigns and outreach activities to encourage eligible former combatants to apply for amnesty. The efforts aimed to facilitate the reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society while supporting the government’s broader peace and reconciliation agenda.
“The commission exerted all possible efforts to campaign the amnesty program to its intended recipients,” the NAC said in a statement, noting that the program forms part of the government’s continuing initiatives to promote lasting peace and national unity.
The commission also expressed gratitude to partner agencies, local government units, and peace stakeholders who supported the implementation of the program and helped reach eligible applicants during the two-year period.
While the application period has already closed for the three groups, the NAC reminded former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing the New People’s Army, and its political arm the National Democratic Front of the Philippines to submit their amnesty applications before the approaching deadline.
The commission reiterated that the final day for applications from former members of the three organizations is March 13, 2026, urging qualified individuals to take advantage of the program while the window remains open.
The government views the amnesty program as a key mechanism for addressing the roots of long-running insurgencies by providing legal relief to former combatants who renounce armed struggle and choose to rejoin civilian life.