12 September 2024 (Iloilo City) -The Local Amnesty Board (LAB) secretariats of Iloilo City and Bacolod City attended the Joint Coordinating Conference with the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army and the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6), held at CaseΓ±as Hall in Camp Martin Teofilo Delgado, the Regional Headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) PRO6. The meeting centered on the establishment of a Verification/Validation Committee for amnesty applicants, aiming to streamline the verification process for the partnering agencies.

Prosecutor Flosemer Gonzales, representing the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Office of the Regional Prosecutor, emphasized in his opening remarks the need to streamline and expedite the validation and verification process for amnesty applications. He noted that each application must undergo validation by multiple agencies, including the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the DOJ, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), and the courts. Prosecutor Gonzales also elaborated on the role and functions of the committee in assisting the LAB in processing these applications efficiently.

Also present at the conference were Brigadier General Orlando Edralin, Assistant Division Commander of the 3ID and Commander of the 303rd Brigade; Police Brigadier General Archival Macala, Deputy Regional Director for Administration of PRO6; Major Dorcesimo Cuyag Jr.; Police Colonel Gilbert Gorero; and representatives from the OPAPRU, including Juniel Guath, Head of the Area Management Unit in Western Visayas, and Hennie Dionela, Area Coordinator.

Toward the end of the conference, Police Brigadier General Macala emphasized that the administration’s goal is to make the Philippines insurgency-free by 2028, stating that “convergence efforts like this can turn that vision into reality.” He further stressed the importance of encouraging former rebels to reintegrate into mainstream society.

The conference concluded with the formal adoption and creation of the Verification/Validation Committee, with Prosecutor Gonzales appointed as Committee Head.

Brigadier General Edralin affirmed, “The Philippine Army will continue to support all efforts toward a more peaceful and secure Region VI. The amnesty program is critical, and we will ensure that we fulfill our role with the assistance of all the agencies involved”

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