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.