Joint Statement by the Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDPF)

Export agreement:

Export agreement coding (PDF)

Country/entity: Philippines
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Statement by the Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDPF)
Date: 9 Mar 2001
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: Renewal
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Philippines-NDF process
Parties: GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES:
Silvestre H. Bello III, Chair, GRP Negotiating Panel
Hernani A. Braganza, Member
Rene V. Sarmiento, Member

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT OF THE PHILIPPINES:
Luis G. Jalandoni, Chair, NDFP Negotiating Panel
Fidel V. Agcaoili, Member
Coni K. Ledesma, Member
Third parties: -
Description: In this agreement, the GRP and the NDFR declare their firm adherence to the principle that the Peace Negotiations are a continuing process between the Parties to address the roots of the armed conflict. The Parties shall resume formal peace negotiations on 27 April 2001 in accordance with other agreements.

Agreement document: PH_010903_Joint Statement between the Government of the Philippines and the NDPF.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: Page 1,
5. The Parties have agreed to discuss the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) as provided for in Part V thereof.
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,
4. Prior to the resumption of the formal peace negotiations, the Negotiating Panels shall form, authorize and operationalize their respective Reciprocal Working Committees on Social and Economic Reforms (RWC-SER) and give notice thereof to each other.
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: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: Page 2,
7. Both Parties have agreed to continue undertaking goodwill and confidence building measures to enhance the atmosphere and promote the progress for the resumption of the peace negotiations. In response to the appeals of the families, human rights organizations and religious groups, the GRP shall take steps to accelerate the release of prisoners and detainees contained in a list provided by human rights organizations.
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: The GRP-NDFP Peace Negotiations: Major Written Agreements & Outstanding Issues, pp. 51-53.

http://www.ndfp.net/web2014/index.php/peace-talks/peace-agreements/121-joint-statement-by-the-grp-and-ndfp-negotiating-panels

JOINT STATEMENT by the Negotiating Panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)

09 March 2001

The Negotiating Panel of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Negotiating Panel of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) meeting in Utrecht and The Hague, The Netherlands on 6-9 March 2001 in order to renew the Joint Commitment of the GRP and the NDFP to a just and lasting peace, hereby announce the resumption of the peace negotiations under the following principles and premises:

1. The two Parties declare their finn adherence to the principle that the GRPNDFP

Peace Negotiations are a continuing process between the parties to address

the roots of the armed conflict.

2. The Parties uphold and affirm the validity and binding character of the ten

bilateral agreements (Annex A hereof) that were entered into between them from 1

September 1992 to 7 August 1998 as the framewot'k and foundation for the

resumption of the peace negotiations.

3. The reinstatement of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees

(JASIG) shaU be accomplished through written notices by the prineipals of both

parties and transmitted to each other before the date of the actual resumption of the

peace negotiations.

4. Prior to the resumption of the formal peace negotiations, the Negotiat~g Panels

shall form authorize and operationalize their respective Reciprocal Wo?Ong f

Committ~ on Social and Economic Reforms (RWC-SER) and give notice tbereo

to each other.

• -« t" •

lementation of the

5. The Pa:

rt~es have agreed to dtscuss the eue<:

tve 1~P and International

ComprehensiVe Agreement on Re8pect for Human ~ts hereo£

Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) as provided for In Part V t

ti2tions on 27 April2001 in

6. The GRP and NDFP shall resume formal peace nego •th this Joint

a mutually acceptable foreign neutral venue in accordan;

7m the JASIG, and

State~ent, The Hague Joint Dt(;la~tion dated 1 Sep~e~ e~tion;lization of the ..

the Jomt Agreement on the Form.ataon, Sequence:~ P199s.

~../

Reciprocal Working Committees (RWCs) dated 2 une ~.;

~otiations shaD include the is :

. The agenda of such resumption of formal p~ce nb~uld include the ap~roval oft:

\!( ,. \.

exchange of credentials of the two Panels whtcb s ts f the panel cbaumen, an~ V

-;.-"' Joint Statement by the Principals, opening ststemen ° ~

t I l

I !

tbe opeaiDg of the formalaecotiationa oD Sodal and Economic Reforms betwee~a th

respective IUdprocal Worldllg ComDtlttees or the two Parties.

/1. Botla Parties ban agreed to CODtiaue UDdertakiDg goodwill and coDfideuce

buildi.

Dg measures to ell.baaee the atmosphere and promote the progress for the

resumptiou of the peace negotiatious.

In response to the appeals of the Wnilies,

human rights orguizations and religious groups, the GRP sh2U take steps to

accder.ate the Rlease of prboners and detainees contained in a Jist provided by

human rights organizations.

GOVERNMENT OF THE

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

hair, GRP Negotbting Panel

u~ ....

M~~"""r"tr.

"'r-

NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC

FRONT OF TilE PHILIPPINES

I I