Preamble
WHEREAS, on April 8, 1978, I appealed to the political Opposition and to the representatives of the various political factions in the Philippines to forget the bitterness of the last election and unite for the sake of the national interest; WHEREAS, one of the perceived obstacles to the achievement of national unity is the detention of persons who have been charged with such crimes as subversion, rebellion, sedition, illegal possession of firearms, and other offenses defined and penalized in the Revised Penal Code, committed on the occasion or furtherance of, or in relation to the crimes of rebellion, subversion or sedition, which persons may be judged to be deserving of society's understanding and forgiveness; WHEREAS, in accordance with my call to national reconciliation and unity, it is now imperative to proclaim an amnesty in favor of said deserving persons, even without further inquiry into their guilt or innocence and without waiting for final judgment by the court or tribunal before which said charges are pending; WHEREAS, to hasten the restoration of tranquility and stability of the nation, and pursuant to the government policy of reconciliation with persons who have been arrested and/or charged as transgressors of the law, it is necessary that amnesty be extended further to persons who may have committed certain acts penalized by existing laws as well as those who, the judgment of the President of the Philippines, are deserving of amnesty. NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, by virtue of the powers vested in me as President of the Philippines, do hereby order and decree the following: