EDITORIAL - Offer amnesty, but know who deserves it

Members of rebel groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Moro National Liberation Front, Alex Bongcayao Brigade, Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa, and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army have been offered amnesty after the Senate adopted three House resolutions granting the said amnesty to the rebel groups.

“Through these amnesty grants, we’re handing out second chances to the over 7,600 prospective applicants who are willing to have a new start in life in a secure place in society,” Senator Panfilo Lacson, also the Senate Committee chairman on National Defense, said during this sponsorship speech.

According to ANC the amnesty covers crimes including rebellion, sedition, and illegal assembly, but excludes crimes like kidnapping for ransom, massacre, and torture.

This offering of an amnesty to anyone who may want to avail of it is a good move. For one, it shows that the government is open to another option than continued conflict. For another, offering an out to someone who is willing to kill or die for a cause is always a better option than having to fight them.

However, there must be thorough vetting of who wants to avail of the amnesty.

As mentioned earlier, there are some crimes not covered by the amnesty. Who is guilty of what cannot always be easily established and proven in a rebel group since these are not companies that have meticulous records of what tasked was assigned to a certain person, or who had a specific scope of duties.

Considering how desperate the situation has become for some rebel groups, some individuals, even those guilty of the more heinous crimes, may want out and may be willing to do everything they can to minimize their guilt or participation in certain crimes. They many even pass their guilt on to others.

While we do believe in second chances, in extending this amnesty the authorities should be prepared to determine who deserves it and who doesn’t.