Agreement for General Cessation of Hostilities

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Country/entity
Philippines
Mindanao
Region
Asia and Pacific
Asia and Pacific
Agreement name
Agreement for General Cessation of Hostilities
Date
18 Jul 1997
Agreement status
Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement
Yes
Agreement/conflict level
Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - ) )
Stage
Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature
Government/territory
Peace process
Philippines - Mindanao process
Parties
Amb. Fortunato Il Abat, GRP Panel Chairman;
Ghazail Jafar, MILF Political Affairs Central Committee Vice Chair, MILF Panel Chairman
Third parties
Attested: Ruben D. Torres, Executive Secretary;
Sec. Renato S. De Villa, Dept. of National Defense

Witnesses for GRP:
Maj. Gen. Joselin B. Nazareno, GRP Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities Chairman
Lt. Gen. Edgardo E. Batenga (Ret.), GRP Technical Committee Member
ASec. Jovenal F. Lazaga, GRP Technical Committee on Agenda Setting Chairman
Atty. Grace M. Tan, Office of the President Director
Atty. Alberto A. Bernardo, NPUDC Executive Director;

Witnesses for the MILF:
Mohagher Iqbal, MILF Central Committee Member
Sammy Al Mansour, MILF-BIAF Deputy Chief of Staff
Omar Habas, MILF Central Committee Member
Abdulmanaf Mantawil, MILF Secretariat, Technical Committee Chairman
Atty. Omar B. Umpar, MILF Legal Counselor
Description
This is a ceasefire agreement that mandates further meetings to discuss implementation of this Agreement, and the overall resumption of formal peace talks.

Agreement document
PH_970718_Agreement for General Cessation of Hostilities.pdf | 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, Preamble
Whereas, while an informal ceasefire has been observed between the GRP and the MILF, with and end in view of finding a just and lasting solution to the centuries old problem of the Bangsamoro and native inhabitants of Mindanao, it becomes necessary that peace and order be assured;
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
Gender→Men and boys→Gender neutral wording
Page 1, Preamble
Know all men by these presents:
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 1, Preamble
Whereas, while an informal ceasefire has been observed between the GRP and the MILF, with and end in view of finding a just and lasting solution to the centuries old problem of the Bangsamoro and native inhabitants of Mindanao, it becomes necessary that peace and order be assured;

Page 1, Preamble
Whereas, in view of the foregoing, it becomes imperative for the GRP and the MILF to enter into an agreement for general cessation of hostilities and to agree to continue the formal peace talks;

Page 1, 1. To commit the armed forces of the GRP and the MILF to a General Cessation of Hostilities;

Page 1, 2. To direct their respective Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities to meet on 20 July 1997, and on such dates thereafter, but not to exceed two (2) months, to draw and finalise the guidelines and ground rules for the implementation of this Agreement;
Police
No specific mention.
Armed forces
Page 1, 1. To commit the armed forces of the GRP and the MILF to a General Cessation of Hostilities;
DDR
No specific mention.
Intelligence services
No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces
Page 1, 1. To commit the armed forces of the GRP and the MILF to a General Cessation of Hostilities;
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
https://peacemaker.un.org/philippines-generalcessationhostilities97

IN THE NAME OF GOD THE BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL

Agreement for General cessation of hostilities.

Know all men by these presents:

WHEREAS, peace talks are now being undertaken between representative of the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

WHEREAS, while an informal ceasefire has been observed between the GRP and the MILF, with the end in view of finding a just and lasting solution to the centuries old problem of the Bangaamoro and native inhabitants of Mindanao, it becomes necessary that peace and order be assured.

WHEREAS, in view of the foregoing, it becomes imperative for the GRP and the MILF to enter into an agreement for general cessation of hostilities and to agree to continue the formal peace talks;

Now, therefore, the GRP and the MILF, through their undersigned authorised representatives, agree, as they hereby agreed on the following:

To commit the armed forces of the GRP and the MILF to a General Cessation of Hostilities;

To direct their respective Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities to meet on 30 July 1997, and on such dates thereafter, but not to exceed two (2) months, to draw and finalise the guidelines and ground rules for the implementation of this Agreement and

To resume and proceed with the formal peace talks in a venue to be mutually agreed upon between the GRP and the MILF Panels.

This Agreement shall take effect on the 21st day of July 1997.

SO AGREED.

FOR THE GRP:

AME, FORTUNATO U. ABAT (Chairman, GRP Panel)

ATTESTED:

RUBEN D.TORRES (Executive Secretary)

WITNESSES

MA* GEN.

JOSELIN B. NASARENO (Chairman, Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities)

LT GEN EDGARDO E. BATENGA (RET) (Member, Technical Committee)

ASEC.

JOVERAL F. *AZAGA (Chairman, Technical Committee on Agenda Setting)

ATTY.

GRACE M. TAN (Director, Office of the President)

ATTY.

ALBERTO A. BERNARDO (Executive Director, NPUDC)

FOR THE MILF:

GHAZALI JAAFAR (Vice Chair for Political Affairs Central Committee, MILF Chairman, MILF Panel)

ATTESTED:

SEC. RENATO S. DE VILLA (Dept.

of National Defence)

WITNESSES:

MOHAGHER IQBAL (Member, Central Committee MILF

SAMMY AL MANSOUR (Deputy Chief of Staff, BIAF MILF)

OMAR HABAN (Member Central Committee MILF)

ABDULMANAF MANTAWIL (Chairman, Secretariat MILF, Technical Committee)

ATTY.

OMAR B. UMPAR (MILF LEGAL COUNSELOR)