Highlights of the 21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meeting

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Highlights of the 21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meeting
Date: 7 Mar 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: Edir. Alma R. Evangelista, GRP Technical Committee Chairperson;
Prof. Moner M. Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairperson
Third parties: -
Description: Agreement informing on the 21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee meeting on March 6-7 2000, in which it was agreed on the organization and composition of Technical Working Groups (TWGs) to represent the Parties positions in accordance with the six (6) clusters of agenda items presented by the MILF. The TWGs would meet on March 27 2000 to establish procedures and adopt a timetable for task completion. The Technical Committee also agreed to discuss the MILF proposal of an Agreement on Safety and Security Guarantees and a Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws by the Peace Panels during the 3rd Round of Formal Talks on March 8-9 2000. Concluding, the Technical Committee noted Joint Resolution No. 001, Series of 2000, and adopted Recommendation No. 4 of the Resolution, which provides for members of the CCCH, IFFC, and the QRT to attend formal meetings of the Peace Panel, subject to nature of the matters during the meetings.

Agreement document: PH_000307_Highlights of 21st TCM.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: 3. At the Technical Committee meeting it was also agreed that the MILF proposals for an Agreement on Safety and Security Guarantees and for a Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws shall be discussed by the Peace Panels during its 3rd Round of Formal Talks on 8-9 March 2000.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: 3. At the Technical Committee meeting it was also agreed that the MILF proposals for an Agreement on Safety and Security Guarantees and for a Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws shall be discussed by the Peace Panels during its 3rd Round of Formal Talks on 8-9 March 2000.
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: 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: 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. 88.

Highlights of the 21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meeting

The 21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meeting was held on March 6 to 7, 2000 at the Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City.

1. At the meeting, it was agreed that respective Technical Working Groups (TWGs) shall be immediatly organized according to the six (6) clusters of agenda items presented by the MILF.

Each TWG shall be composed of one (1) Chairman, four (4) Members, and one (1) Secretary.

The TWCs shall prepare their respective position papers on their assigned agenda items which shall serve as the bases to their discussions to establish points of consensus.

Contentious points shall be elevated for discussion at the Technical Committee level before submission to the Peace Panels.

2. Both sides agreed to hold a joint meeting of their respective TWGs on 27 March 2000 to establish specific procedures and to adopt a timetable to complete their tasks.

It has been agreed that these tasks should be completed within one (1) to two (2) months from the date of the initial joint meeting (see attached Timetable).

3. At the Technical Committee meeting it was also agreed that the MILF proposals for an Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws shall be discussed by the Peace Panels during its 3rd Round of Formal Talks on 8-9 March 2000.

4. The Technical Committees took note of Joint REsolution No.

001, Series of 2000, from the Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCHs), Independent Fact-Finding Committee (IFFC), and Quick Response Team (QRT) and adopted Recommendation No.

4 of the resolution, stating the following:

"That the members of the three bodies, as far as it is applicable, be allowed to attend formal meetings of the Peace Panels, subject to the pleasure of the Chairmen or the nature of the matters taken during meetings."

Done this 7th day of March 2000 at the Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City.

For the GRP:

EDIR.

ALMA R. EVANGELISTA, Chairperson, GRP Technical Committee

For the MILF:

PROF.

MONER M. BAJUNAID, Chairperson, MILF Technical Committee