Joint Press Release

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Press Release
Date: 7 Jan 1997
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: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties: Asec. Jovenal Lazaga, GRP Committee on Agenda Setting Chair
Mgen. Joselin Nazareno, GRP Committee on Cessation of Hostilities Chair
Prof. Moner Bajunaid, MILF Committee on Agenda Setting Chair
Atty. Lanang Ali, MILF Committee on Cessation of Hostilities Chair
Third parties: -
Description: The Press Release provides a summary of the discussion between the Technical Committees on Agenda Setting and the Technical Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities, to which they agreed they needed to identify and clarify the issues and concerns for the future formal peace talks. Additionally, the Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities exchanged position papers on a ceasefire to generate a favorable atmosphere for the future formal talks. The Committees agreed to meet again on the 25-26 of February 1997 to further these discussions.

Agreement document: PH_970107_Joint Press Release.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: Groups→Indigenous people→Rhetorical
Page 1, [...] The MILF technical committee proposed a single talking point -- "To solve the Bangsamoro Problem". Another meeting was set for February 25-26, 1997 at the same venue for the MILF Technical Committee to expound on its proposal and for the GRP Technical Committee to present its position.
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
Page 2, [...] The Technical Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities, on the other hand, exchanged position papers on the cessation of hostilities, which are intended to generate a favorable atmosphere for the formal peace talks. They agreed to meet again also on February 25-26 1997 for the submission of their final respective position after consultations with their principals.
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: 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), pp.3-4.

Joint Press Release

In an Historic Initial meeting at the Da’wah centre.

Crossing Simuay, sultan Kundarat, Maguindanao today, January 7, 1997, members of the Technical Committees of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) took a step towards the attainment of a just and lasting peace in Mindanao.

The Technical Committees on agenda setting of the GRP Panel and MILF panel discussed and reached a consensus on the nature and scope of their assigned task – to identify and clarify the issues and concerns which shall become the agenda for the formal peace talks between the GRP and MILF panels.

The MILF Technical Committee proposed a single talking point – “To solve the Bangsamoro Problem”.

Another Meeting was set for February 25-26, 1997 at the same venue for the MILF Technical Committee to expound on its proposal and for the GRP Technical Committee to present its position.

The technical committee on the cessation of hostilities, on the other hand, exchanged position papers on the cessation of hostilities, which are intended to generate a favourable atmosphere for the formal peace talks.

They agreed to meet again also on February 25-26 1997 for the submission of their final respective positions after consultations with their principals.

The meeting was very cordial, with the Technical Committees expressing their willingness to accomplish their assigned tasks at the earliest possible time.

Approved for Release:

ASEC JOVENAL LAZAGA (CHAIR, GRP COMMITTEE ON AGENDA SETTING)

PROF.

MONER BAJUNAID (CHAIR, MILF COMMITTEE ON AGENDA SETTING)

MGEN JOSELIN NAZARENO AFP (CHAIR, GRP COMMITTEE ON CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES)

ATTY.

LANANG ALI (CHAIR, MILD COMMITTEE ON CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES)