The University of EdinburghPeace Agreements DatabasePeaceRep

Joint Communique

  • Country/entity

    Philippines
    Mindanao
  • Region

    Asia and Pacific
    Asia and Pacific
  • Agreement name

    Joint Communique
  • Date

    23 Feb 2000
  • 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

    Lt. Gen. Edgardo E. Batenga, AFP (Ret.), GRP Peace Panel Chairman;
    Dr. Emily M. Marohombsar, GRP Peace Panel Member;
    Aleem Abdulaziz Mimbantas, MILF Peace Panel Chairman and Vice Chairman for Internal Affairs;
    Mr. Mohagher Iqbal, MILF Peace Panel Member and Vice Chairman for Information
  • Third parties

    Witnessed by: Atty. Alberto A. Bernardo, GRP Technical Committee Member; BGen. Antonio Q. Romero (Ret.), GRP Panel Executive Director; Cpt. Vicente G. Batac, PA, DND Representative; Atty. Alan L. Flores, MILF Technical Committee Member; Mr. Eid Kabalu, MILF CCCH Chairman; Mr. Rudy Radiamoda, MILF Peace Panel Adviser
  • Description

    Joint Communique by the GRP and MILF Peace Panels informing on their commitment to implement the Ceasefire Agreement by strengthening the organizational capabilities of the CCCH, IFC, and QRT in order to ensure effective implementation of the cessation of hostilities. Additionally, both Parties recognize the aspiration of all the people in Mindanao, and reaffirm their commitment to the resumption of the second round of formal talks to take place on March 1-2, 2000.


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

    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
    Page 1, Recognizing that there will be lasting peace in Mindanao when there is mutual trust, justice, freedom and tolerance for the identity, culture and aspirations of all the people in Mindanao, both parties have reaffirmed their sincerity to pursue peace to bring an end to the armed conflict in Mindanao. Further, both parties commit and resolutely continue the negotiation until a negotiated political settlement is reached.
  • 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
    Page 1, Recognizing that there will be lasting peace in Mindanao when there is mutual trust, justice, freedom and tolerance for the identity, culture and aspirations of all the people in Mindanao, both parties have reaffirmed their sincerity to pursue peace to bring an end to the armed conflict in Mindanao. Further, both parties commit and resolutely continue the negotiation until a negotiated political settlement is reached.
  • Ceasefire
    Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
    Page 1, Recognizing that there will be lasting peace in Mindanao when there is mutual trust, justice, freedom and tolerance for the identity, culture and aspirations of all the people in Mindanao, both parties have reaffirmed their sincerity to pursue peace to bring an end to the armed conflict in Mindanao. Further, both parties commit and resolutely continue the negotiation until a negotiated political settlement is reached.

    Page 1, 1. Parties agree for the earnest cessation of hostilities in the following areas, namely: Carmen, Cotabato Province; Sharif Aguak, Datu Piang, Talayan, Kabuntalan and Ampatuan, Maguindanao Province; and, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat Province, effective February 28, 2000, six o'clock in the afternoon in accordance with the Agreement on General Cessation of Hostilities of July 18, 1997;

    Page 1, 2. Parties agree that their Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) shall earnestly oversee the smooth, sincere, effective and successful implementation of the cessation of hostilities.

    Page 2, 3. Parties reiterate to strengthen the organizational capabilities of the CCCH, IFFC, and QRT for them to be effective in the tasks assigned by the Peace Panels.

    Page 2, 4. That finally, parties agree to give meaning and impetus to the Agreement dated October 6, 1999.
  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces
    Page 2, 4. That finally, parties agree to give meaning and impetus to the Agreement dated October 6, 1999.
  • DDR

    No specific mention.

  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces
    Page 2, 4. That finally, parties agree to give meaning and impetus to the Agreement dated October 6, 1999.
  • 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
    GRP-MILF Peace Process: Compilation of Signed Agreements & other related Documents (1997-2010); (MILF Peace Panel/Asia Foundation, 2010), pp. 84-85.

JOINT COMMUNIQUE

THE CHAIRMEN OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES (GRP) AND THE MORO ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT (MILF) PEACE NEGOTIATING PANELS MET ON FEBRUARY 22-23, 2000 IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY.

RECOGNIZING THAT THERE WILL BE LASTING PEACE IN MINDANAO WHEN THERE IS MUTUAL TRUST, JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND TOLERANCE FOR THE IDENTITY, CULTURE AND ASPIRATIONS OF All THE PEOPLES IN MINDANAO.

BOTH PARTIES HAVE REAFFIRMED THEIR SINCERITY TO PURSUE PEACE TO BRING AN END TO THE ARMED CONFLICT IN MINDANAO.

FURTHER, BOTH PARTIES COMMIT TO COMMENCE TAlKS ON THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND RESOLUTELY CONTINUE

THE NEGOTIATIONS UNTIL A NEGOTIATED POLITICAL SETTLEMENT IS REACHED.

FURTHERMORE, THE GRP AND THE MILF REAFFIRM THE FOLLOWING COMMITMENTS TO PEACE:

1. PARTIES AGREE FOR THE EARNEST CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS, NAMELY:

CARMEN, COTABATO PROVINCE;

SHARIF AGUAK, DATU PIANG, TALAYAN, KABUNTALAN AND AMPATUAN, MAGUINDANAO PROVINCE, AND, ISULAN.

SULTAN KUDARAT PROVINCE, EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 28, 2000, SIX O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AGREEMENT ON GENERAL CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES OF JULY 19, 1997.

2. PARTIES AGREE THAT THEIR COORDINATING COMMITTEES ON THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES (CCCH) SHALL EARNESTLY

OVERSEE THE SMOOTH, SINCERE.

EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES;

3. PARTIES REITERATE TO STRENGHTHEN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE CCCH, IFFC AND QRT FOR THEM TO BE

EFFECTIVE IN THE TASKS ASSIGNED BY THE PEACE PANELS;

4. PARTIES AGREE FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE SECOND ROUND OF FORMAL PEACE TALKS ON MARCH 1 & 2, 2000 AT ESTOSAN

HOTEL, COTABATO CITY;

AND,

5. THAT FINALLY, PARTIES AGREE TO GIVE MEANING AND IMPETUS TO THE AGREEMENT DATED OCTOBER 6, 1999.

DONE THIS 23RD DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2000, IN THE CITY OF CAGAYAN, DE ORO, PHILIPPINES.

FOR THE GRP:

LT.

GEN.

EDGARDO E. BATENGA AFP (RET.),

CHAIRMAN, GRP PEACE PANEL;

DR.

EMILY M. MAROHOMBSAR, MEMBER, GRP PEACE PANEL

FOR THE MILF:

ALEEM ABDULAZIZ MIMBANTAS, VICE CHAIRMAN FOR INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND CHAIRMAN, MILF PEACE PANEL

WITNESSES:

ATTY.

ALBERTO A. BERNARDO, MEMBER, GRP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

ATTY.

ALAN L. FLORES, MEMBER, MILF TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

BGEN.

ANTONIO Q. ROMERO (RET.),

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRP PANEL

MR. EID KABALU, CHAIRMAN, MILF CCCH

CPT. VICENTE G. BATAC PA, DND REPRESENTATIVE

MR. RUDY RADAMODA, ADVISER, MILF PEACE PANEL