• 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

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

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)