• Country/entity

  Philippines
  Mindanao
  

• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  

• Agreement name

  Joint Communique

• Date

  2 Mar 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;
  Bro. Mohagher Iqbal, MILF Peace Panel Acting Chairman

• Third parties

  Witnessed by: Edir. Alma R. Evangelista, GRP Technical Committee Chairperson; Sheikh Moner Bajunaid, MILF Technical Committee Chairman

• Description

  Agreement that informs on 2nd Round of Formal Peace Talks between the GRP and MILF Peace Panels, in which the Parties heard reports from the QRT, IFFC, and the CCCh on incidents in Maguindanao and the implementation of the cessation of hostilities. The Peace Panels agreed to cluster the nine Agenda Items, presented by MILF for discussion in the Formal Talks, into six aggrupations consisting of Ancestral domain, Destruction of Properties and Victims of War, Human Rights Issues, Social and Cultural Discrimination, Economic Inequities, and Exploitation of Natural Resources. Additionally, the Technical Committees were directed to discuss proposed organization and specific tasks of the Technical Working Groups on Agenda Items, a MILF Draft on Immunity and Security Guarantees, and a MILF Draft on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws. The Panels concluded to meet the following week, March 6-7, 2000, for the 3rd Round of Formal Peace Talks.

• Agreement document

  PH_000302_Joint Communique.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

JOINT COMMUNIQUE

The Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the Moro Liberation Front (MILF) peace negotiating panels held the 2nd Round of Talks on March 1-2, 2000, at the Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City.

Inspirational messages from Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, Maguindarao Governor Zacaria Candao, and Mayor Muslimin Serna of Cotabato City highlighted the Opening Ceremony.

Secretary Mercado challenged the GRP and the MILF Peace Panels to make compromises and find common areas of agreement so that a peaceful settlement may be reached.

Gov. Candao and Mayor Sema reiterated their high hopes and full support to the peace negotlatlons.

GRP Panel Chairman Lt.

Gen. Edgardo E. Batenga AFP (Ret.),

and Acting MILF Panel Chairman/Chairman, Committee on lnformation Mohagher Iqbal, representing MILF Panel Chair Aleetri Abdulaziz Mimbantas, delivered opening statements for both sides, reiterating their sincerity and cornmltment to the peace talks.

During this meeting, both the GRT/IFFC and the CCCH presented their respective reports on the incidents in Carmen, Cotabato and Shariff Aguak, Datu Plang and Talayan, all in Maguindanao.

The CCCH of the GRP and the MlLF likewise presented their respective report on the status of the Implementation of the GRP-MILF Agreements on September 2, 1999 and January 12, 2000.

The GRP and MILF Peace Panels agreed to cluster the nine (9) Agenda Items presented by the MILF for discussion in the Formal Peace Talks into six (6) aggrupations, namely:

1. Ancestral Domain / Agrarian Related lssues

2. Destruction of Properties and Victims or War / Displaced and Landless Bangsamoro

3. Human Rights Issues

4. Social and Cultural Discrimination / Corruption of the Mind and Moral Fibre

5. Economic lnequities and Widespread Poverty

6. Expliotation of Natural Resources

The Technical Committees of both Panels were directed to discuss the following, for submission to the Peace Panels:

1. GRP proposal on the modification/refinement of headings for the clustered Agenda Items

2. Proposed organization and specific tasks of the Technical Working Groups which wlll discuss the Agenda ltems;

3. MILF Draft on Imunlty and Security Guarantees, and GRP counter-proposal and;

4. MILF Draft on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and Humanitarian Laws.

Both Panels agreed to meet again next week, with the following schedule:

21st GRP-MILF Technical Committee Meeting on March 6-7, 2000 at Estosan Garden Hotel, Cotabato City;

and 3rd Round of the GRP and MILF Formal Peace Talks on March 8-9, 2000 at the same venue.

Done this 2nd day of March, 2000 at Cotabato City.

For the GRP Peace Panel:

LT.

GEN EDGARDO E. BATENGA APP (RET.),

Chairman

For the MILF Peace Panel:

MOHAGHER IQBAL, Acting Chairman

WITNESSES:

EDIR ALMA R. EVANGELISTA, Chairperson, GRP Technical Committee, SHEIKH MONER BAJUNAID, Chairman, MILF Technical Committee