00:00 The government's campaign for the rebels who want to return to the government is a success.
00:05 The details are in Rod Lagusan's words.
00:07 Amnesty is about the partial forgiveness or the elimination of the crime of an individual
00:15 who has a political offense that is part of the peace process.
00:19 The National Amnesty Commission's mandate is to accept the application of the former rebels for amnesty and to proceed with it.
00:26 We will give a second chance, another opportunity for those former combatants or rebels who,
00:34 because of probably injustice, poverty, or for whatever reason, fought or rose up or took up arms against the government.
00:43 So they are given the opportunity to have a better life.
00:48 The National Amnesty Commission believes that peace will not be possible
00:53 without amnesty, ceasefire, or addressing the problem of insurgency in the country.
00:58 The Commission's goal is to review the applications.
01:00 It has a local amnesty board that will judge if an applicant is qualified.
01:05 The secretary of the local amnesty board will forward all applications for verification to the Department of Justice,
01:14 if there are cases in the Fiscal Liaison Office, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces, the NBI, and the Court.
01:24 It also verifies if an applicant has a case in the law and if he was aggravated.
01:29 From here, it will be under the new review of the National Amnesty Board that it will recommend to the Office of the President.
01:36 The President of the country has the power to appeal for amnesty along with the Congress' approval.
01:42 At the moment, the agency is waiting for the new extension of the application period after the proclamation is first received.
01:49 So we are hopeful with the pronouncement of our President during the SONA
01:54 that he will issue a proclamation to grant amnesty to former rebels.
01:59 So we are hopeful that soon the proclamation will be issued.
02:04 So the Commission can already forfeit its main mandate that is to receive and process application.
02:11 At the moment, the decommissioning of the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity or OPAPRU is ongoing in the MNLF, MNLF, and other groups.
02:21 It is expected that the decommissioned here will be the ones to apply for amnesty to the agency.
02:26 Rod Laguzad, for the country.
02:28 by end.
