By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY — Nine former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), including four who held key positions in northern Negros Occidental, have applied for the government’s amnesty program.
Capt. Dan Carlo Samoza, civil-military operations officer of the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), said the Army facilitated the applications of the former rebels with the Local Amnesty Board and the National Amnesty Commission at the 79th IB headquarters in Barangay Bato, Sagay City, on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Samoza said the former rebels were from Escalante City, and the towns of Toboso and Calatrava.
They have standing arrest warrants for murder, robbery, and other offenses related to their previous involvement with the NPA, he added.
The nine individuals were among those who surrendered to the military since January this year.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, commander of the 79th IB, welcomed the development and commended the former rebels for their courage in choosing peace over conflict. He emphasized the role of the amnesty program in promoting peace and reconciliation.
Samoza added that the program provides former rebels with a path back to normalcy. The application period for the amnesty program runs from March 2023 to March 2026.
With the granting of amnesty, former rebels will be exonerated from offenses covered by the program, Samoza explained.
Prosecutor Cyril Joy Gerona of the Sagay City Prosecutor’s Office administered the oath to the nine former rebels.
Samoza noted that more than 100 former rebels from northern Negros have already applied for amnesty.
