Agreement to Cease Hostilities along the Highway of Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Agreement to Cease Hostilities along the Highway of Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
Date: 12 Jan 2000
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: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties: LtGen. Orlando V. Soriano (Ret.), GRP Panel Chairman;
Ghazali Jaafar, MILF Central Committee and Political Affairs Vice-Chairman
Third parties: Witnesses:
Rep. Anthony P. Dequina, GRP Panel Member;
Rep. Simeon A. Datumanong, GRP Panel Adviser;
Datu Zacaria A. Candao, Maguindanao Province Governor;
Muslimin G. Sema, Cotabato City Mayer;
Mohagher Iqbal, MILF Panel Member;
Shiek Omar Pasigan, MILF Panel Adviser;
Atty. Lanang S. Ali, MILF Technical Committee Vice-Chairman
Description: Agreement by the GRP and MILF Panels to cease the fighting between respective armed forces along the National Highway from Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, and for the GRP and MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to verify the compliance of the forces. The Panels also agree to strengthen the organizational capabilities of the CCCH and the Independent Fact-Finding Committee (IFFC).

Agreement document: PH_000112_Agreement to Cease Hostilities on Highway of Cotabato City to Isulan.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: 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: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
To cease the fighting between our resepctive armed forces along the national highway from Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat effective six o'clock in the afternoon of this date; and

To restore the existing situation ante bellum as of 01 December 1999 effective six o'clock in the morning of 13 January 2000.

Along this line, we hereby task the GRP and MILF Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to verify the compliance thereof by both Parties not later than 14 January 2000 and to verify the reported tension along the national highway in Lanao del Sur.

We further agree to strengthen the organizational capabilities of the CCCH and the Independent Fact-Finding Committee (IFFC).
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: To cease the fighting between our resepctive armed forces along the national highway from Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat effective six o'clock in the afternoon of this date;
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: To cease the fighting between our resepctive armed forces along the national highway from Cotabato City to Isulan, Sultan Kudarat effective six o'clock in the afternoon of this date;
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: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: GRP-MILF Peace Process: Compilation of Signed Agreements & other related Documents (1997-2010); (MILF Peace Panel/Asia Foundation, 2010), p. 80.

AGREEMENT

IN THE FURTHERANCE OF THE PEACE PROCESS WE, THE UNDERSIGNED, HEREBY AGREE:

TO CEASE THE FIGHTING BETWEEN OUR RESPECTIVE ARMED FORCES ALONG THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY FROM COTABATO CITY TO

ISULAN SULTAN KUDARAT EFFECTIVE SIX O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON ON THIS DATE;

AND

TO RESTORE THE EXISTING SITUATION ANTE BELLUM AS OF 01 DECEMBER 1999 EFFECTIVE SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OF 13 JANUARY 2000.

ALONG THIS LINE, WE HEREBY TASK THE GRP AND MILF COORDINATING COMMIITEES ON CESSATION OF HOSTIUTIES (CCCH) TO

VERIFY THE COMPLIANCE THEREOF BY BOTH PARTIES NOT LATER THAN 14 JANUARY 2000, AND TO VERIFY THIS REPORTED TENSION ALONG THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY IN LANAO DEL SUR.

WE FURTHER AGREE TO STRENGHTEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE CCCH AND THE lNDEPENDENT FACT FINDING

COMMITTEE (lFFC).

DONE THIS 12TH DAY OF JANUARY 2000 AT THE PROVINCIAL CAPITOL OF MAGUINDANAO.

FOR THE GRP:

LTGEN ORLANDO V SORIANO (Ret) Chairman, GRP Panel

FOR THE MILF:

GHAZALI JAAFAR, Vice Chairman for Political Affairs

WITNESSETH [sic]:

FOR THE GRP:

REP ANTHONY P. DEQUINA, Member, GRP Panel, REP SIMEON A. DATUMANONG, Adviser, GRP Panel, DATU ZACARIA A CANDAO, Governor, Maguindano Province, MUSLIMIN G. SEMA, Mayor, Cotabato City

FOR THE MILF:

MOHAGHER IQBAL, Member, MILF Panel, SHIEK OMAR PASIGAN, Adviser, MILF Panel, ATTY.

LANANG S. ALI, Vice Chairman, MILF Technical Committee