Providing for Rules and Procedures to Amnesty Applicants Living Outside the Philippine Territory

2011

DND COMMITTEE CIRCULAR NO. 2-11

PROVIDING FOR RULES AND PROCEDURES TO AMNESTY APPLICANTS LIVING OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINE TERRITORY

WHEREAS, the DND Ad Hoc Amnesty Committee is constituted purposely to process applications for Amnesty of individuals involved in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny, 2006 Marines Stand-Off and the November 29, 2007 Peninsula Manila incident, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation Nr. 75 dated Nov. 24, 2010;

WHEREAS, in consonance with the aforementioned Presidential Proclamation, the Committee is likewise empowered to promulgate its own rules and procedures for the effective implementation of the Amnesty Program;

WHEREAS, as provided for in the DND Circular Nr. 1, Subject: Rules and Procedures in the Processing of Amnesty, dated December 21, 2010, applications for Amnesty must be filed in person and attest/swear to before the Committee Secretariat the veracity of the information as contained in the application;

WHEREAS, in the course of implementation, the DND Ad Hoc Amnesty Committee has received requests/queries from individuals interested to apply for amnesty who are currently outside of the country by virtue of employment and cannot come back to the Philippines due to certain restrictions/limitations. SDHAcI

RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that taking into account the foregoing circumstances and finding the reasons cited therein valid, the Committee hereby grants the request to accommodate applicants for Amnesty who are currently outside the Country;

RESOLVED FURTHER, that in the effective implementation, the following are the set rules and procedure to be followed, thus:

a. Period of Application — Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 75, applications for amnesty in accordance with this rule must be filed within the same ninety (90) day period starting from the publication of the Proclamation on December 31, 2010.

b. How to Apply — Individuals applying for amnesty may download the application form as posted in the Official websites of the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Three (3) duly accomplished application forms shall be presented before the Philippine Consular Office, Department of Foreign Affairs in the country where the applicant is currently residing. The applicant shall personally swear to the said application and take the Oath of Allegiance before the same Consular Office.

 The Consular Office shall keep one (1) copy and stamp the other two (2) copies as received. The two (2) copies stamped as received shall be retained by the applicant.

 The date of attestation before the Consular Office shall be considered as date of application.

c. Notification to the Secretariat — The applicant shall forward a copy of his application to the Committee Secretariat through mail or courier service.

d. Coordination with the Consular Offices — Upon receiving a copy of the application form in accordance with Paragraph (C) above, the Committee Secretariat shall coordinate with the proper officer of the Consular Office for confirmation that the applicant has sworn and took the Oath of Allegiance before the Consular Office.

e. Posting and Publication — The Committee shall periodically cause the posting of the updated official register in the following locations: AFP Commissioned Officers Club Bulletin Board and the Department of National Defense Bulletin Board (lobby), and shall cause the publication of said updated official register at the aforementioned DND and AFP website. The Committee shall cause the inclusion of the name of any applicant in the updated official register within three (3) days from the receipt of a copy of the application. HAcaCS

f. Opposition — Within fifteen (15) days from the posting of the name of an applicant in the abovementioned locations or the publication of the applicant's name in the DND and AFP website, whichever comes later, any person may file a sworn opposition to the application for amnesty.

g. Notice — The DND Amnesty Committee thru the Secretariat shall notify the applicant of the approval and/or denial of the amnesty.

Done at the Department of National Defense, CGEA, QC this ____ day of __________, 2011.

Signed:

(SGD.) HONORIO S. AZCUETAUndersecretaryChairman

(SGD.) PIO LORENZO F. BATINOUndersecretary/Member

(SGD.) LAMBERTO B. SILLONAAsst. Secretary/Member

(SGD.) HONORATO S. DE LOS REYESBrigadier General, AFP/Member

(SGD.) GILBERTO JOSE C. ROABrigadier General, AFP/Member

Approved:

(SGD.) VOLTAIRE T. GAZMINSecretaryDepartment of National Defense