• Country/entity

  Philippines
  Mindanao
  

• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  

• Agreement name

  Administrative Procedures in the Conduct of GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meetings

• Date

  26 Feb 1997

• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed

• Interim arrangement

  Yes

• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - ) )

• Stage

  Pre-negotiation/process

• Conflict nature

  Government/territory

• Peace process

  Philippines - Mindanao process

• Parties

  Asec Jovenal Lazaga, GRP Technical Committee Chairman
  Sheikh Moner Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairman

• Third parties

  -

• Description

  The Agreement provides from the creation and composition of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee, from which there will be the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, to prepare guidelines and ground rules for a ceasefire, and the Sub-Committee on Agenda Setting, to identify and clarify the issues and concerns to be discussed in the future peace talks.

• Agreement document

  PH_970226_Administrative Procedures in Conduct.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

Administrative Procedures in the Conduct of GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meetings.

Creation, Composition and mandate of the GRP-MILF technical Committee

The technical Committees respectively created by the GRP and MILF, pursuant to the agreement between Executive Secretary Ruben Torres and MILF Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs Gjazali Jaafar, on September 10, 1996 at Cagayan de Oro City, composed of twelve (12) members each, shall hereinafter be referred to as GRP-MILF Technical Committee.

The GRP-MILF Technical Committee shall have two sub-committees;

a) the sub-committees on Cessation of hostilities;

and b) Sub-committee on agenda setting, each tasked to function as follows:

Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities – to prepare the guidelines and ground rules on the cessation of hostilities to generate a favourable atmosphere for the peace talks.

Sub-committee on Agenda Setting – to identify and clarify the issues and concerns that shall become the agenda for the formal peace talks.

Attendance in Meetings

The officially designed Technical Committee members shall be the permanent attendees at every committee meeting.

In case of temporary absence of any regular member, a proxy may be designed to take his place.

In the event of permanent disability for any reason, a substitute shall be named to replace him/her.

Prior notice of such designation of proxy or substitute shall be given to the other party,

Conduct of meetings

Presiding Officer – The GRP and MILF technical committee Chairman shall act as co-chairmen to alternately preside over the meetings.

Secretariat – the Secretariat composed of six from each of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee shall be responsible for the following functions.

To document the proceedings of the GRP-MILF Technical Committee meetings

To prepare reports on the highlights of agreements/consensus areas between the GRP-MILF Technical Committee after every meeting of the technical committee.

To handle all administrative requirements relative to the conduct of the meeting.

Liaison Officers – Liaison officers from both Sub-Committees shall be designed to ensure proper coordination and the smooth flow of communications between the two parties in between meetings.

The following have been designated as liaison officers:

On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities:

GRP-LTC Rudy So (603 Bde, 6lD), MILF – Atty.

Lanang Ali

On matters pertaining to the Sub-Committee on agenda setting and other administrative matters:

GRP- Mr. Rolando Doria (OP Mindanao, Cotabato City)

MILF- Mr. Eid Kabalu

Official spokespersons – There shall be designated official spokesperson for each panel as follows:

GRP – Ambassador Fortunato U Abat, Asst Secretary Jovenal Lazaga, MGen Joselin Nazareno

MILF- Vice Chairman Ghazali Jaafar, Prof. Sheikh Moner Bahunaid, Atty.

Lanang Ali

Format – The format of the GRP- MILF Technical Committee meetings shall be as follows:

Plenary I

Invocation (GRP and MILF representatives

Opening Statements (GRP and MILF chair)

Adoption of report of previous meeting

Approval of agenda proper

Sub Committee discussions

Sub-Committee on Agenda Setting

Sub-Committee on Cessation of Hostilities

Plenary II

Reports of Sub- commitments

Adoption of technical committee report containing consensus points

Adoption of indicative agenda and schedule of the next meeting

Adoption of joint statement/press release

Safety and Security Matters

The PNP forces to be mutually agreed upon shall provide the security at the site of the meeting.

Issues and concerns relative to security arrangements shall be jointly discussed by the GRP-MILF Technical Committee prior to the meeting.

Confidentiality of documents and proceedings

The confidentiality of documents and proceedings of the technical Committee and its sub-committees shall be observed.

Adopted at Da’wah Center, Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, this 26th day of February 1997.

ASEC JOVENAL LAZAGA (CHAIRMAN, GRP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)

SHIKH MONER BAJUNAID (CHAIRMAN, MILF TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)