Agreement to Sustain the Quest for Peace (I)

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Agreement to Sustain the Quest for Peace (I)
Date: 6 Feb 1998
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 GRP: A/Sec. Jovenal F. Lazaga, GRP Technical Committee Chairman;
M/Gen. Joselin B. Nazareno, Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities Chairman; For the MILF: Shiekh Moner M. Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairman;
Atty. Omar B. Umpar, Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, Chairman and MILF Legal Counsel
Third parties: -
Description: GRP agreed to immediately commence to reposition its forces in Buldon, Maguindanao; to use its utmost efforts to resolve the issue involving Upper Minabay-Banganan-Ambal Rivers in Buldon, and to propose the immediate suspension of logging operations of the Cotabato Timber Company and other logging concessionaires until final resolution of the conflict. GRP and MILF Technical Committees agreed operationalisation of the Monitoring Office of the Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities would be determined later; on expansion of Fact Finding Committee membership and on formation of a Quick Response Team (QRT) composed of representatives from GRP, MILF and the Independent Fact Finding Committee to immediately address alleged violations of the agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities. Both parties confirmed their strict adherence to the Implementing Operational Guidelines of the Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed on 14 November 1997.

Agreement document: PH_980206_Agreement to Sustain the Quest for Peace.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: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: Page 1, 2. The GRP shall immediately exert its utmost efforts to resolve the watershed issue involving Upper Minabay-Banganan-Ambal Rivers in Buldon, Maguindanao. In consultation with concerned parties and coordination with appropriate government agencies, GRP shall cause the proposed immediate suspension of logging operations of the Cotabato Timber Company, Inc. and other logging concessionaires in the area until final resolution of the conflict in the Banganan-Ambal area.
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: Page 1, 2. The GRP shall immediately exert its utmost efforts to resolve the watershed issue involving Upper Minabay-Banganan-Ambal Rivers in Buldon, Maguindanao. In consultation with concerned parties and coordination with appropriate government agencies, GRP shall cause the proposed immediate suspension of logging operations of the Cotabato Timber Company, Inc. and other logging concessionaires in the area until final resolution of the conflict in the Banganan-Ambal area.
Water or riparian rights or access: Page 1, 2. The GRP shall immediately exert its utmost efforts to resolve the watershed issue involving Upper Minabay-Banganan-Ambal Rivers in Buldon, Maguindanao. In consultation with concerned parties and coordination with appropriate government agencies, GRP shall cause the proposed immediate suspension of logging operations of the Cotabato Timber Company, Inc. and other logging concessionaires in the area until final resolution of the conflict in the Banganan-Ambal area.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1, 1. To keep the momentum in the quest for peace by the GRP and the MILF and to defuse the tension created by the unfortunate incidents in the recent past, it is agreed that GRP shall immediately commence to reposition its forces in Buldon, Maguindanao, at least five kilometers away from Banganan River to be completed not later than February 20, 1998; Provided, that the MILF shall not occupy the vacated areas. To this end, the GRP and the MILF hereby confirm their strict adherence to the Implementing
Operational Guidelines of the GRP and MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed on 14 November 1997.

Page 1, 3. In order to effectively observe and implement the terms and conditions of the Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities, the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:
3.a. Operationalization of the Monitoring Office of the GRP-MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities in Cotabato City and Sub-offices in Marawi City and other areas to be determined later;
3.c. Formation of a Quick Response Team (QRT) composed of representatives from the GRP, MILF, and the Independent Fact Finding Committee to immediately address alleged violations of the agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities; Provided, that the QRT is chaired by the IFFC.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 1, 1. To keep the momentum in the quest for peace by the GRP and the MILF and to defuse the tension created by the unfortunate incidents in the recent past, it is agreed that GRP shall immediately commence to reposition its forces in Buldon, Maguindanao, at least five kilometers away from Banganan River to be completed not later than February 20, 1998; Provided, that the MILF shall not occupy the vacated areas. To this end, the GRP and the MILF hereby confirm their strict adherence to the Implementing
Operational Guidelines of the GRP and MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed on 14 November 1997.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: Page 1, 1. To keep the momentum in the quest for peace by the GRP and the MILF and to defuse the tension created by the unfortunate incidents in the recent past, it is agreed that GRP shall immediately commence to reposition its forces in Buldon, Maguindanao, at least five kilometers away from Banganan River to be completed not later than February 20, 1998; Provided, that the MILF shall not occupy the vacated areas. To this end, the GRP and the MILF hereby confirm their strict adherence to the Implementing
Operational Guidelines of the GRP and MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed on 14 November 1997.
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: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: Page 1, 3.c. Formation of a Quick Response Team (QRT) composed of representatives from the GRP, MILF, and the Independent Fact Finding Committee to immediately address alleged violations of the agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities; Provided, that the QRT is chaired by the IFFC.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: https://peacemaker.un.org/philippines-sustain-peace98

In the Name of God

The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful Agreement to Sustain the Quest for Peace

1. To keep the momentum in the quest for peace by the GRP and the MILF and to defuse the tension created by the unfortunate incidents in the recent past, it is agreed that GRP shall immediately commence to reposition its forces in Buldon, Maguindanao, at least five kilometers away from Banganan River to be complemented not later than February 20, 1998;

Provided, that the MILF shall not occupy the vacated areas.

To this end, the GRP and the MILF hereby confirm their strict adherence to the Implementing Operational Guidelines of the GRP and MILF Agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities signed on 14 November 1997.

2. The GRP shall immediately exert its utmost efforts to resolve the watershed issue involving Upper Minabay-Banganan-Ambal Rivers in Buldon, Maguindanao.

In consultation with concerned parties and coordination with appropriate government agencies, GRP shall cause the proposed immediate suspension of logging operations of the Cotabato Timber Company, Inc. and other logging concessionaires in the area until final resolution of the conflict in the Banganan-Ambal area.

3. In order to effectively observe and implement the terms and conditions of the Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities, the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:

a. Operationalization of the Monitoring Office of the GRP-MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities in Cotabato City and Sub-offices in Marawi City and other areas to be determined later;

b. Expansion of the Fact Finding Committee membership chaired by Fr.

Eliseo R. Mercado, OMI;

and

c. Formation of a Quick Response Team (QRT) composed of representatives from the GRP, MILF, and the Independent Fact Finding Committee to immediately address alleged violations of the agreement on the General Cessation of Hostilities;

Provided, that the QRT is chaired by the IFFC.

Done in the City of Marawi this 6th day of February, 1998.

For the GRP

A/Sec.

Jovenal F. Lazaga

Chairman, GRP Technical Committee

M/Gen. Joselin B. Nazareno

Chairman, Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities

For the MILF

Shiekh Moner M. Bajunaid

Chairman, MILF Technical Committee

Atty.

Omar B. Umpar

Chairman, Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, MILF Legal Counsel