Joint Press Statement

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Press Statement
Date: 15 Feb 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: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties: Adg. Lenonida F. Brosas, GRP Technical Committee Acting Chairperson;
Sheikh Moner M. Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairperson
Third parties: -
Description: Joint Press Statement by the GRP and MILF Technical Committee, informing on the 20th Technical Committee Meeting on 14-15 of February, 2000, in which the GRP Panel requested limiting the discussion to substantive issues of the peace process and to find common ground on the issues, and the MILF Panel reiterated their commitment and sincerity to negotiations. During the meeting, the Committee agreed on Agenda Items for the Formal Peace Talks to six (6) points, created technical working groups, and elevated the MILF Proposed Draft on Immunity and Security and Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws to the GRP and MILF Peace Panel to discuss. Additionally, the Committee tasked the QRT, the CCCH, and the IFFC to investigate the incidents in Maguindanao,

Agreement document: PH_000215_Joint Press Statement.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,
[...] He [Mohagher Iqbal] emphasized the position of the MILF that in this era of globalization, the Bangsamoro problem can be resolved through dialogues.
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: [...] During the two-day meeting, both the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:
3. Elevated the MILF Proposed Drafts on Immunity and Security Guarantees (ISG) and Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws (CAR-HR-HL) to the GRP and the MILF Peace Panel for consideration and discussion;
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: [...] During the two-day meeting, both the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:
3. Elevated the MILF Proposed Drafts on Immunity and Security Guarantees (ISG) and Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws (CAR-HR-HL) to the GRP and the MILF Peace Panel for consideration and discussion;

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
[...] During the two-day meeting, both the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:
1. Tasked the Quick Response Team (QRT), the Independent Fact-Finding Committee (IFFC) and Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities to look into the reported incidents in Carmen, Cotabato and Shariff Aguak, Datu Piang, and Talayan, all in Maguindanao;
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), p. 83.

Joint Press Statement

The GRP and the MILF held its 20th Technical Committee Meeting on 14-15 February 2000 at the Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City.

During the formal opening of the meeting, Lt.

Gen. Edgardo E. Batenga AFP (ReL), the newly appointed Chairman, GRP Panel for Peace Talks with the MILF, stated that his task is to negotiate for peace that will serve the best interest of and benefit the entire Filipino nation.

He requested the Technical Committees of both Panels to limit its discussions to substantive issues of the peace process and find common grounds acceptable to both the GRP and the MILF.

On the other hand, Mr. Mohagher Iqbal, Chairman, Committe on Information and Member, MILF Panel, representing Mr. Aleem Abdulazlz Mimbantes, MILF Panel Chairman, welcomed the appointment of Lt.

Gen. Batenga.

He emphasized the position of the MILF that in this era of globalization, the Bangsamoro problem can be resolved through dialogues.

Mr. Iqbal further reiterated the commitment and sincerity of the MILF in negotiating with the GRP.

During the two-day meeting, both the GRP and the MILF Technical Committees agreed on the following:

1. Tasked the Quick Response Team (QRT), the Independent Fact-Finding Committee (IFFC) and Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) to look into the reported incidents Carmen, Cotabato and Shariff Aguak, Datu Piang, and Talayan, all in Maguindanao;

2. Clustered the Agenda Items of the Formal Peace Talks into six (6) aggruptions and the creation of technical working groups;

3. Elevated the MILF Proposed Drafts on Immunity and Security Guarantees (ISG) and Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws (CAR-HR-HL) to the GRP and the MILF Peace Panel for consideration and discussion and;

4. Proposed agenda for the 2nd Round of the GRP and MILF Formal Peace Talks on 21-22 February 2000 at a venue to be determined later by the Panel Chairpersons.

ADG. LENODIA F. BROSAS Acting Chairperson, GRP Technical Committee

SHEIKH MONER M. BAJUNAID Chairperson, MILF Technical Committee