Administrative Procedures in the Conduct of GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meetings

Country/entity
Philippines
Mindanao
Region
Asia and Pacific
Agreement name
Administrative Procedures in the Conduct of GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meetings
Date
26 Feb 1997
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Stage
Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature
Government/territory
Peace process
Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties
Asec Jovenal Lazaga, GRP Technical Committee Chairman
Sheikh Moner Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairman
Third parties
-
Description
The Agreement provides from the creation and composition of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee, from which there will be the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, to prepare guidelines and ground rules for a ceasefire, and the Sub-Committee on Agenda Setting, to identify and clarify the issues and concerns to be discussed in the future peace talks.


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
Rights related issues→Media and communication→Other
Page 2, 3. Conduct of Meetings
c. Liaison Officers - Liaison officers from both Sub-Committees shall be designated to ensure proper coordination and smooth flow of communications between the two parties in between meetings. The Following have been designated as liaison officers: 1) On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities
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 1, 1. Creation, Composition and Mandate of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee
[...] The GRP-MILF Technical Committee shall have two sub-committees a) the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities; and b) Sub-Committee on Agenda Setting, each tasked to function as follows:
a. Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities - To prepare the guidelines and ground rules on the cessation of hostilities to generate a favorable atmosphere for the peace talks.

Page 2, 3. Conduct of Meetings
c. Liaison Officers - Liaison officers from both Sub-Committees shall be designated to ensure proper coordination and smooth flow of communications between the two parties in between meetings. The Following have been designated as liaison officers:
1) On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities
GRP - LTC Rudy So (603rd Bde, 6LD)
MILF - Atty. Lanang Ali
Police
Page 3, 4. Safety and Security Matters -- The PNP forces to be mutually agreed upon shall provide the security at the site of the meeting. Issues and concerns relative to security arrangement shall be jointly discussed by the GRP-MILF Technical Committee prior to the meeting.
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. 9-11.

Administrative Procedures in the Conduct of GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meetings.

Creation, Composition and mandate of the GRP-MILF technical Committee

The technical Committees respectively created by the GRP and MILF, pursuant to the agreement between Executive Secretary Ruben Torres and MILF Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs Gjazali Jaafar, on September 10, 1996 at Cagayan de Oro City, composed of twelve (12) members each, shall hereinafter be referred to as GRP-MILF Technical Committee.

The GRP-MILF Technical Committee shall have two sub-committees;

a) the sub-committees on Cessation of hostilities;

and b) Sub-committee on agenda setting, each tasked to function as follows:

Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities – to prepare the guidelines and ground rules on the cessation of hostilities to generate a favourable atmosphere for the peace talks.

Sub-committee on Agenda Setting – to identify and clarify the issues and concerns that shall become the agenda for the formal peace talks.

Attendance in Meetings

The officially designed Technical Committee members shall be the permanent attendees at every committee meeting.

In case of temporary absence of any regular member, a proxy may be designed to take his place.

In the event of permanent disability for any reason, a substitute shall be named to replace him/her.

Prior notice of such designation of proxy or substitute shall be given to the other party,

Conduct of meetings

Presiding Officer – The GRP and MILF technical committee Chairman shall act as co-chairmen to alternately preside over the meetings.

Secretariat – the Secretariat composed of six from each of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee shall be responsible for the following functions.

To document the proceedings of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee meetings

To prepare reports on the highlights of agreements/consensus areas between the GRP-MILF Technical Committee after every meeting of the technical committee.

To handle all administrative requirements relative to the conduct of the meeting.

Liaison Officers – Liaison officers from both Sub-Committees shall be designed to ensure proper coordination and the smooth flow of communications between the two parties in between meetings.

The following have been designated as liaison officers:

On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities:

GRP-LTC Rudy So (603 Bde, 6lD), MILF – Atty.

Lanang Ali

On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on agenda setting and other administrative matters:

GRP- Mr. Rolando Doria (OP Mindanao, Cotabato City)

MILF- Mr. Eid Kabalu

Official spokespersons – There shall be designated official spokesperson for each panel as follows:

GRP – Ambassador Fortunato U Abat, Asst Secretary Jovenal Lazaga, MGen Joselin Nazareno

MILF- Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar, Prof. Sheikh Moner Bahunaid, Atty.

Lanang Ali

Format – The format of the GRP- MILF Technical Committee meetings shall be as follows:

Plenary I

Invocation (GRP and MILF representatives

Opening Statements (GRP and MILF chair)

Adoption of report of previous meeting

Approval of agenda proper

Sub Committee discussions

Sub-Committee on Agenda Setting

Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities

Plenary II

Reports of Sub- commitments

Adoption of technical committee report containing consensus points

Adoption of indicative agenda and schedule of the next meeting

Adoption of joint statement/press release

Safety and Security Matters

The PNP forces to be mutually agreed upon shall provide the security at the site of the meeting.

Issues and concerns relative to security arrangements shall be jointly discussed by the GRP-MILF Technical Committee prior to the meeting.

Confidentiality of documents and proceedings

The confidentiality of documents and proceedings of the technical Committee and its sub-committees shall be observed.

Adopted at Da’wah Center, Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, this 26th day of February 1997.

ASEC JOVENAL LAZAGA (CHAIRMAN, GRP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)

SHIKH MONER BAJUNAID (CHAIRMAN, MILF TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)