Manila grants amnesty to military rebels
Manila grants amnesty to military rebels
MANILA (AFP): The government yesterday granted an amnesty to
right-wing military rebels who made seven attempts to overturn
the Philippines' fledgling democracy, as part of a peace deal to
end a decade-long schism in the armed forces.
The guarantee of "full and unconditional amnesty" was one of
the key provisions of a peace settlement signed yesterday by
chief government negotiator Fortunato Abat and former Gen.
Edgardo Abenina, representing three largely moribund rebel
military groups, spokesmen for both sides said.
None of the three organizations, which attempted to overthrow
former president Corazon Aquino between 1986 and 1989, are now
active underground, but in December 1989, only the intervention
of the United States prevented the rebels from toppling Aquino.
The settlement with the Reform the Armed Forces Movement
(RAM), the Soldiers of the Filipino People (SFP) and the Young
Officers Union (YOU) formally ends 10 years of bloody
divisiveness in the armed forces.
The exact number to be pardoned still has to be discussed,
both sides said, adding that the amnesty would only cover
political crimes and does not include ordinary crimes like
murder.
Rebel military spokesmen claim they number more than 6,000.
The two sides have yet to discuss whether the post-1989
bombing campaign in Manila would be considered a political crime.
Both sides were silent on damages to be paid for more than 100
civilian and military victims of the uprisings.
President Fidel Ramos, who was defense secretary in 1989,
freed several hundred jailed military rebels upon election to his
current office in 1992 and had their military trials suspended to
enable the government to work toward a negotiated settlement.
Fugitive military rebels emerged from three years of hiding
and began peace talks. One of them, cashiered army Col. Gregorio
"Gringo" Honasan, was elected to the Senate in May.
The peace agreement called for the rebels to return several
anti-tank weapons still in their possession.
"The sword of war was sheathed after being long drawn," Abat,
a retired army major general, said at the signing ceremonies
here.
"If you want a guarantee, I can guarantee that there will be
no more coups after we signed the agreement," Senator Honasan
told reporters.
But he warned what while RAM has renounced violence, armed
uprisings continue to be a possibility unless their root causes
are addressed by the government.
A committee to check the accord is being complied with is to
be formed with the backing of the president's office, both sides
said.
Copies of the agreement were not immediately available, but
both sides said it provided for the "cessation of hostilities,"
continued consultations on political and social reforms, and the
return of an unspecified number of mortars, light anti-tank
weapons and heavy machineguns in rebel hands to the government.
They said both sides still have to discuss whether the rebel
soldiers will be reinstated or given honorable discharges. They
did not mention dishonorable discharges.
The coup attempts scared off foreign investors who were
beginning to start looking seriously at investing in the country
after the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a popular
uprising in 1986.
A coup bid in 1989 nearly toppled Aquino, who was forced to
call on the United States to scramble Phantom jets stationed at
Clark Air Base north of Manila to beat back the rebels.
Ramos, defense secretary in 1989, was elected president in
1992 and promptly freed several hundred jailed military rebels.
He also suspended court martials against them in order to seek a
negotiated settlement.