Agreement on the Rules and Procedures on the Conduct of the Formal Peace Talks between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels

• Country/entity

  Philippines
  Mindanao
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  Agreement on the Rules and Procedures on the Conduct of the Formal Peace Talks between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels
• Date

  17 Dec 1999
• 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

  USec. Orlando V. Soriano, GRP Panel Chairperson;
  Aleem Abdulaziz Mimbantas, MILF Panel Chairperson
• Third parties

  Witnesses:
  Col. Delfin N. Lorenzana, GRP Technical Committee Acting Chairperson;
  Shiek Moner M. Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairperson
• Description

  Agreement in its entirety provides for the rules and procedures regarding the conduct of the formal peace talks between the Government (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). These rules and procedures include the composition, guiding principles and mandate, conduct of panel negotiations, media coverage procedures, and general provisions on confidentiality, amendments to the rules and procedures, and effectivity of this Agreement.

• Agreement document

  PH_991217_Agreement on Rules-Procedures on Conduct of Panels.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

AGREEMENT ON THE RULES AND PROCEDURES ON THE CONDUCT OF THE FORMAL PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE GRP AND MILF PEACE PANELS

This Agreement is being entered into by and between:

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP), represented by the GRP Peace Panel, herein represented by its Chairperson, Undersecretary Orlando V. Soriano;

and

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), represented by the MILF Peace Panel, herein represented by its Chairperson, Aleem Abdulaziz Mimbantas.

Pursuant to due authority, the two Panels hereby agree:

ARTICLE.

I COMPOSITION

The Panels respectively created by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) composed of six (6) members each, shall hereinafter be referred to as the GRP and MILF Peace Panels.

ARTICLE II

GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND MANDATE

Section 1.

Guiding Principles.

In their deliberations during the formal peace talks and in the interpretation of this Agreement, the GRP and MELF Peace Panels shall at all times conform to the letter and spirit of the General Framework of Agreement of Intent between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed on August 27, 1998 at the Da'wah Center, Crossing Simuay, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Section 2.

Mandate.

The GRP and MILF Peace Panels are mandated to pursue the peace negotiations on the substantive issues under a favourable atmosphere of peace and harmony.

They shall be clothed with proper credentials and authority duly signed by the President of the Philippines, or by his authority in the case of the GRP and by Chairman Salamat Hashim in the case of the MILF, to bind and speak in with the aim in view of Continuing the peace negotiations until the Parties reach a negotiated political settlement of the armed conflict in Mindanao.

ARTICLE III

CONDUCT OF PANEL NEGOTIATIONS

Section 1.

Agenda for the Peace Talks.

The agenda for the peace talks shall be prepared by the GRP AND MILF Technical Committees and shall be agreed upon by the Peace Panels.

The Panels shall exchange detailed proposals and/or working Papers on the agenda of the peace talks within a reasonable period of time before such agenda shall be discussed.

Section 2.

Venue and Schedule of the Peace Talks.

The GRP and MILF Peace Panels shall hold their formal peace talks in a venue to be previously agreed upon.

The two Panels shall also mutually agree on the schedule of meetings.

Section 3.

Attendance/Quorum.

a. The officially designated members of the GRP and MILF Peace Panels shall be the permanent attendees at every Panel meeting.

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

provided, finally, that prior official notice of such designation of substitute shall be given to the other party.

b. A majority of the composition of each Panel is required to be present at every meeting in order to constitute a quorum.

Section 4.

Presiding Officers.

The two Panel Chairpersons shall act as co-presiding officers for the meeting of the two Panels.

Section 5.

Presence of Persons other than Paget Members at Meetings.

Other than the Peace Panels, only the Panel Advisers, Secretariat and Technical Committees of the GRP and MILF hall be allowed in the meeting room.

a. Technical Committees.

The GRP and MILF Technical Committees shall provide the technical support to their respective Peace Panels on the Substantive issues.

b. Permanent Secretariat.

There shall be a permanent GRP and MILF Secretariat which shall have the following tasks and functions:

b1. То document the proceedings of the meeting of the GRP and MILF Peace Panels

b2. To prepare and submit the agenda of the meetings of the Peace Panels;

B3. To prepare the highlights of consensus points/agreements between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels after every meeting;

and,

b4. To handle all administrative requirements relative to the conduct of the meeting.

C. Consultants and Resource Persons may be invited as necessary, and as mutually agreed upon by the two Chairpersons of the Peace Panels.

Section 6.

Procedure of Formal Meeting:

The two Panel Chairpersons shall agree on the allocation of time for each agenda item.

Each Panel shall have equal time and opportunity to fully present its side in meetings, orally and/or in writing, to propound questions, and to respond to the other Panel regarding any agreed agenda item.

When no agreement has been reached on an agenda item within a reasonable period of time, such item may be deferred for further deliberation or referred to the respective Technical Committees for further study.

Thereafter, the two Panels shall proceed to the next agenda item,

Section 7.

Format of Meetings.

The Chairperson of each Panel shall speak on behalf of the Panel, but may designate other Panel Members to speak when appropriate.

During a deliberation of one Panel Chairperson, the other Panel Chairperson or his Panel Members permitted by him may interpellate or respond immediately to any point, with the permission of the Chairperson deliberating.

Each Panel may propose a draft on any agenda item which may become the basis for discussion,

Section 8.

Meeting Flow.

The slow of the meeting shall be as follows:

Invocation (GRP and MILF Representatives)

Opening Statements (GRP and MILF Chairpersons)

Approval of Agenda for the Meeting

Adoption of Report of Previous Meeting

Discussion of Unfinished Business

Discussion of Agenda Items

Adoption of Consensus Points/Agreements

Adoption of Proposed Agenda, Schedule and Venue of the Next Meeting.

Adoption of Joint Statement/Press Release

ARTICLE IV

MEDIA COVERAGE

Section 1.

Media coverage of the proceedings of any meeting shall be mutually agreed upon by the two Panel Chairpersons.

Section 2.

The holding of joint press conferences or the issuance of joint press statements shall be mutually agreed upon by the two Panel Chairpersons.

Section 3.

The respective Chairpersons of the GRP and MILF Peace Panels, or in their absence, a member of either Peace Panel duty designated, shall act as the Official Spokespersons for each Panel, as the case may be.

ARTICLE, V GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1.

Confidentiality.

a. The Panel Chairpersons may mutually agree on the confidentiality of sensitive issues under negotiations.

b. Limitations on access to or release of official records of the deliberations and minutes of the meetings shall be mutually agreed upon by the Chairpersons of the two Peace Panels.

Section 2.

Amendments.

The two Peace Panels may from time to time mutually agree to amend, modify or supplement this Agreement.

Section 3.

Safety and Security Matters.

The two Peace Panels shall agree on the provisions of safety and security at the site of the meeting.

Section 4.

Effectivity.

This Agreement shall take effect upon the signing hereof by the Chairpersons of the two Peace Panels.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunder signed this Agreement this 17th day of December 1999 at SR, Meguindanao , Philippines.

FOR THE MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT PEACE PANEL:

ALEEM ABDULAZIZ MIMBANTAS (CHAIRPERSON, MILF PANEL)

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES PEACE PANEL:

USEC.

ORLANDO V. SORIANO (CHAIRPERSON, GRP PANEL)

WITNESSETH:

COL. DELFIN N LORENZANA (ACTING CHAIRPERSON, GRP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE)