Senate told: Bangsamoro Parliament members still waiting for amnesty
MANILA, Philippines — Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament are still waiting for amnesty for their political crimes.
Member of Parliament (MP) Mary Ann Arnado revealed this during Tuesday’s consultative meeting with the Senate committee on cultural communities and Muslim affairs.
“They are members of the parliament, but they are always at the mercy of the government and local authorities because their amnesty has not yet been granted,” Arnado told senators.
She said the MPs, some of whom are former field commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), have standing warrants of arrest.
They only carry safe conduct passes issued by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) so they can roam freely. “They are always at risk of harassment, intimidation, and threats of being arrested,” Arnado added.
Some of the MPs submitted their amnesty application to the National Amnesty Commission (NAC), but the commission is still processing it.
Article continues after this advertisementSo far, Arnado said, the NAC has received around 200 amnesty applications, but none of them have been approved.
Article continues after this advertisementThe MILF has forged a peace agreement with the Philippine government which has paved the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM).
The decommissioning of former MILF fighters is still ongoing, and the government targets to finish the process before BARRM’s first elections in 2025.
READ: Almost 500 former NPA rebels seek amnesty
