Joint Statement

Export agreement:

Export agreement coding (PDF)

Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Statement
Date: 3 Jun 2022
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - )
The Maoist Insurgencies (1968 - )

Philippines-NDF

The Philippines have been defined by a series of center-periphery and often ideologically Maoist, separatist insurgencies. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), began its war against the central Philippine government in 1968 through their armed wing – the New People’s Army (NPA). Further legitimacy was gained through the establishment of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in 1973. Grievances were predominantly opposed to the corruption and repression under the authoritarian Marcos regime.

Philippines-Cordillera

With the overthrow of Marcos’ regime in 1986, the CPP factionalized further to take on more localized characteristics. The Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) broke away from the NDF in 1986 to focus on the protection of the Cordilleran people and land in northern Luzon. Hostilities were formally ended in July 2011, with an agreement signed between the central government, the CPLA and the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) that allowed for the absorption of CPLA fighters into the Philippine Army and the re-working of the CBA-CPLA into a socio-development organisation.

Philippines-RPM-P

Meanwhile, purge among the CPP in the early 1990s, encouraged the formation of a parallel party, the Revolutionary Workers Party (RPM-P). Their armed wing, the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) which had carried out a number of assassinations during the 1980s at the bequest of the CPP, followed suit and allied themselves with the RPM-P in 1997 forming the (RPM-P-RPA-ABB). Severely weakened by the split with the CPP and with the arrest of several key figures, the RPM-P-RPA-ABB signed a peace agreement in December 2000, which encouraged the RPM-P’s branch in Mindanao to break away in 2001.

The CPP-NPA has only participated in intermittent talks with the government. Talks halted in 2004 when Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration sought closer ties with the U.S. in the war on terror and added the CPP-NPA to the list of terrorist organisations, renewing violence. Following the launch of a counter-insurgency by the Philippine government, negotiations have been further delayed due to suspected internal differences between the CPP ‘old guard’ and younger members.

The Moro Insurgency (1968 - )

Philippines-Mindanao

The Moro Insurgency began in 1968, in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago after the killing of Moro Commandos, the so-called Jabidah Massacre, by the Philippine Army following a plot to invade Sabah province in Malaysia. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) captured a swath of territory in the mid-1970s. In an attempt to stem the violence, the constitution was reformed and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created 1990 granting a devolution of power to the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Following the establishment of the ARMM, the MNLF splintered into a range of smaller groups including Islamic factions such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayef Goup (ASG). The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed in 2014.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties: FOR THE GPH:
USEC. DAVID B. DICIANO
Chair, GPH Peace Implementing Panel

FOR THE MILF:
MOHAGHER IQBAL
Chair MILF Peace Implementing Panel
Third parties: -
Description: Joint statement which reaffirms parties commitments to implementation of the Bangsamoro peace process.

Agreement document: PH_220603_Joint Statement.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 1,
2. The Panels shall continue to discuss the socioeconomic packages for decommissioned combatants;
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: Page 1,
7. The Panels agree to create a technical working group (TWG) for the police force for the Bangsamoro that will make recommendations including the drafting of executive issuances;
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: Security sector→DDR→DDR programmes
Page 1,
2. The Panels shall continue to discuss the socioeconomic packages for decommissioned combatants;

Page 1,
4.The Study Group shall submit its report on the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program for other MILF weapons to the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), and the JNC shall submit its report to the Panels;

Page 1,
5. The MILF Panel shall study the GPH Panel proposal on the involvement of the Bangsamoro Government, particularly the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) in the disbandment of private armed groups;

Page 1,
6. The Panels agree to include humanitarian reasons in the qualifications for the issuance of safe conduct passes to MILF personalities, pending the effectivity of the amnesty process, but the GPH Panel shall decide on a case-to-case basis the qualification for humanitarian reasons;
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: Transitional justice→Amnesty/pardon→Power to amnesty
Page 1,
6. The Panels agree to include humanitarian reasons in the qualifications for the issuance of safe conduct passes to MILF personalities, pending the effectivity of the amnesty process, but the GPH Panel shall decide on a case-to-case basis the qualification for humanitarian reasons;
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: Page 1,
8. The Panels advise the joint TWG on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TJR) to also invite international experts to provide advice on the crafting of the TJR roadmap;
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1,
1. The GPH Panel shall communicate to the MILF Panel the proposal of the GPH for the transition of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) for the immediate resolution of the IMT's status;
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity
https://peace.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/32nd-Panels-Meeting-Joint-Statement.pdf
https://peace.gov.ph/2022/06/gph-milf-peace-implementing-panels-reaffirm-steadfast-commitment-to-bangsamoro-peace-process/

JOINT STATEMENT

The Implementing Panels of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) successfully ended today their meeting in Manila.

The meeting was marked with mutual trust, sincerity and commitment to collaboratively work towards the continued implementation of the peace agreement including the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that will benefit all peoples in the Bangsamoro.

The Parties agreed on the following resolutions/action points, bearing in mind the spirit of continuity, stability, and sustainability of the peace dividends and in view of the developments in the Bangsamoro peace process.

The GPH Panel shall communicate to the MILF Panel the proposal of the GPH for the transition of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) for the immediate resolution of the IMT's status;

The Panels shall continue to discuss the socioeconomic packages for decommissioned combatants,

The Panels agree to reconstitute the Working Group for Vulnerable Sectors, which was created by the GPH and MILF Peace Negotiating Panels in 2016, and to direct the Working Group to submit its formal report,

The Study Group shall submit its report on the Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) program for other MILF weapons to the Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), and the JNC shall submit its report to the Panels;

The MILF Panel shall study the GPH Panel proposal on the involvement of the Bangsamoro Government, particularly the Ministry of Public Order and Safety (MPOS) in the disbandment of private armed groups;

The Panels agree to include humanitarian reasons in the qualifications for the issuance of safe conduct passes to MILF personalities, pending the effectivity of the amnesty process, but the GPH Panel shall decide on a case-to-case basis the qualification for humanitarian reasons;

The Panels agree to create a technical working group (TWG) for the police force for the Bangsamoro that will make recommendations including the drafting of executive issuances;

The Panels advise the joint TWG on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TJR) to also invite international experts to provide advice on the crafting of the TJR roadmap,

MILF Panel to study and come up with inputs and comments to the draft declaration of continuity on or before 6 June 2022;

and

On the invitation of the Third Party Facilitator, the Parties considered to hold a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia before the end of the current administration.

However, in case of exigencies, the Parties may invite the Third Party Facilitator to hold the meeting in Manila, Philippines.

The Parties expressed their mutual commitment to pursue dialogue through a problem-solving approach on the remaining issues on the implementation of the peace agreement, with the ultimate goal of achieving lasting peace and development in the Bangsamoro.

The Parties firmly commit that the path to peace and the continued implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and BOL remain as the only viable solution in achieving durable peace and development in the Bangsamoro.

As such, the Parties acknowledge their responsibilities to work in the spirit of partnership and with earnest optimism and commitment to faithfully implement_the peace agreement.

The Parties expressed their gratitude to His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, under whose leadership and firm resolve to a just and lasting peace in Mindanao, the Bangsamoro Organic Law was ratified and the Bangsamoro Government was established;

to Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr. and the members of the MILF leadership under the leadership of its chair and now Interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Government Ahod B. Ebrahim for their unwavering commitment to pursue the implementation of the CAB and BOL;

to the Intergovernmental Relations Body (IGRB) and the Inter- cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization (ICCMN) for their steadfast support towards achieving peace and development in the Bangsamoro;

and to the members of the different peace process mechanisms for their perseverance and invaluable contribution to the Bangsamoro peace process despite challenges brought by the pandemic.

Done this 3rd day of June 2022 in Manila

For the GPH:

USEC.

David B. Digiano

Chair, GPH Peace Implementing Panel

For the MILF:

Mohagher Iqbal

Chair, MILF Peace Implementing Panel