As military offensives against the Abu Sayyaf group shift into high gear, Malacañang is studying the possibility of granting amnesty to the rebels to put an end to their reign of terror and kidnap-for-ransom activities.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the Cabinet security cluster were directed to thoroughly review the coverage of an amnesty proclamation earlier signed by President Arroyo.

Proclamation 1377, signed in 2007, granted amnesty for communist rebels to entice them to return to the fold of the law. The amnesty also covered the crime of rebellion and all other crimes "in pursuit of political beliefs" except for rape, torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs. The proclamation has become effective only after Congress has concurred.

Ermita, speaking to reporters in the Palace, acknowledged that the amnesty proposal for Abu Sayyaf rebels by Sen. Richard Gordon was a “social economic approach” to resolve the security problems in Mindanao.

“Amnesty covers political crimes but then if it will help us in silencing the guns by giving them the opportunity we will have to make a careful study on the coverage of the presidential amnesty that will be drafted,” he said.

“As it is now, we are just talking about it, and that is something for the people especially the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the members of the national security cabinet group to study very carefully,” he added.

While the government troops run after violators of the law, Ermita said the government has applied amnesty as a parallel initiative in the peace process to woo enemies of the state to surrender their guns and rejoin mainstream society. Under the amnesty proposal, rebel returnees are given ample socio economic assistance “so there will be no more reason to pursue kidnapping,” he added.

Ermita said Gordon told him that the elder Abu Sayyaf leaders, who have somehow “mellowed their activities,” could be the ones who would surrender to the government through a peaceful program. “Yung mga commanders na may edad na medyo napapagod na,” he added.

He added that the younger Abu Sayyaf rebels could not survive without the elder commanders who often provide refuge for them when soldiers are hot on their trails.

Ermita however said that Gordon has made clear that granting amnesty to Abu Sayyaf rebels does not mean an end to the military operations against them.

Pending a review of the amnesty proclamation, Ermita said government troops would pursue without let up the offensives against Abu Sayyaf rebels responsible for the abduction of Red Cross workers. Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni and his two colleagues had been released by their captors amid reports of hefty ransom payments.

“Now that we have recovered Mr. Vagni safely, then there will be no restraint for the police and military to undertake the appropriate measures to account for the perpetrators,” Ermita said.

“That would be going back to the normal things of trying to account to the trouble-makers so that there will be no future kidnappings and terrorist activities in Jolo,” he added.