Joint Statement - 14th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks (November 15 2007)

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Country/entity: Philippines
Mindanao
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Joint Statement - 14th GRP-MILF Exploratory Talks (November 15 2007)
Date: 15 Nov 2007
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: Rodolfo C. Garcia, GRP Panel Chair;
Mohagher M. Iqbal, MILF Panel Chair
Third parties: -
Description: Agreement by the Parties, informing on the 14th Exploratory Talks which achieved significant headway on the topic of Ancestral Domain to the point where the Parties are prepared to begin drafting a memorandum of agreement on Ancestral Domain. The Parties also requested the extension of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), and renewed the interim guidelines for the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) for 1 year.

Agreement document: PH_071115_Joint 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: 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: Page 1,
[...] Both Panels also considered and accepted the proposal of the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (Foundation Swisse de Deminage - FSD), subject to the final determination of the terms of reference by the Joint Ceasefire Committees.
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: Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Autonomous regions
Page 1,
The GRP and MILF Peace Panels resumed the peace negotiations after a fourteen-month impasse since September 2006. The 14th Exploratory Talks which opened on November 14, 2007 in Kuala Lumpur successfully ended today with the resolution of outstanding issues on the territory strand of the Ancestral Domain aspect.

Building on the progress attained during the special meeting last October, both sides affirmed all previous points of consensus on the core items of the territory issue, and achieved significant headway in defining key principle relating to maritime domains. The successful outcome of discussions clears the way for the drafting of the memorandum of agreement on Ancestral Domain which shall be tabled at the Formal Peace Talks scheduled early 2008.
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: Page 1,
[...] Building on the progress attained during the special meeting last OCtober, both sides affirmed all previous points of consensus on the core items of the territory issue, and achieved significant headway in defining key principle relating to maritime domains. The successful outcome of discussions clears the way for the drafting of the memorandum of agreement on Ancestral Domain which shall be tabled at the Formal Peace Talks scheduled early 2008.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
Page 1,
[...] Both Panels also considered and accepted the proposal of the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (Foundation Swisse de Deminage - FSD), subject to the final determination of the terms of reference by the Joint Ceasefire Committees.
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: Page 1,
[...] Both sides discussed the current limited tenure of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and decided to jointly appeal to the Malaysian Government to accede to their request for extension of the tour of duty of the IMT personnel, and expansion of the IMT areas of coverage as earlier agreed.

Page 1,
[...] Both Panels considered and accepted the offer of the Government of Canada to join the International Monitoring Team (IMT).
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. 188.

JOINT STATEMENT

The GRP and MILF Peace Panels resumed the peace negotiations after a fourteen-month impasse since September 2006.

The 14" Exploratory Talks which opened on November 4.

2007 in Kuala Lumpur successfully ended today with the resolution of outstanding issues on the territory strand of the Ancestral Domain aspect.

Building on the progress attained during the special meeting last October, both sides affirmed all previous points of consensus on the core items of the territory issue, and achieved significant headway in defining key principles relating to maritime domains.

The successful outcome of discussions clears the way for the drafting of the memorandum of agreement on Ancestral Domain which shall be tabled at the Formal Peace Talks scheduled early 2008.

Both sides discussed the current limited tenure of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and decided to jointly appeal to the Malaysian Government to accede to their request for extension of the tour of duty of the IMT personnel, and expansion of the IMI areas of coverage as earlier agreed.

The appeal was presented by the Chairmen of both Panels during a brief courtesy call on the Hon Deputy Prime Minister and concurrent Minister of Defense YAB Dato’ Sri Hj.

Mohd Najib bin Tun Hj.

Abdul Razak who responded positively.

Both sides agreed to immediately renew the interim guidelines of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AH JAG) for a period of one (1) year beginning November 16, 2007.

Both Panels considered and accepted the offer of the Government of Canada to join the International Monitoring Team (IMT).

Both Panels also considered and accepted the proposal of the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL) and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (Fondation Suisse de Deminage – FSD), subject to the final determination of the terms of reference by the Joint Ceasefire Committees.

The Panels conveyed cd their appreciation to H. E. Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah bin Hj.

Ahmad Badawi for the Malaysian Government's continued assistance in keeping the peace process on track, and to H.E. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's continued support in pushing forward the Mindanao peace process,

Done on the 15th of November 2007 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

FOR THE GRP:

RONDOLFO C. GARCIA (GRP Panel Chair)

FOR THE MILF:

MOHAGNER IQBAL (MILF Panel Chair)