Country/entity

Philippines
Mindanao

Region

Asia and Pacific

Agreement name

Historic Iligan Royal Declaration

Date

19 Dec 2017

Agreement status

Unilateral document

Interim arrangement

Yes

Agreement/conflict level

Intrastate/local conflict

Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - )

The Maoist Insurgencies (1968 - )

Philippines-NDF

The Philippines have been defined by a series of center-periphery and often ideologically Maoist, separatist insurgencies. The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), began its war against the central Philippine government in 1968 through their armed wing – the New People’s Army (NPA). Further legitimacy was gained through the establishment of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in 1973. Grievances were predominantly opposed to the corruption and repression under the authoritarian Marcos regime.

Philippines-Cordillera

With the overthrow of Marcos’ regime in 1986, the CPP factionalized further to take on more localized characteristics. The Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) broke away from the NDF in 1986 to focus on the protection of the Cordilleran people and land in northern Luzon. Hostilities were formally ended in July 2011, with an agreement signed between the central government, the CPLA and the Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) that allowed for the absorption of CPLA fighters into the Philippine Army and the re-working of the CBA-CPLA into a socio-development organisation.

Philippines-RPM-P

Meanwhile, purge among the CPP in the early 1990s, encouraged the formation of a parallel party, the Revolutionary Workers Party (RPM-P). Their armed wing, the Alex Boncayao Brigade (ABB) which had carried out a number of assassinations during the 1980s at the bequest of the CPP, followed suit and allied themselves with the RPM-P in 1997 forming the (RPM-P-RPA-ABB). Severely weakened by the split with the CPP and with the arrest of several key figures, the RPM-P-RPA-ABB signed a peace agreement in December 2000, which encouraged the RPM-P’s branch in Mindanao to break away in 2001.

The CPP-NPA has only participated in intermittent talks with the government. Talks halted in 2004 when Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration sought closer ties with the U.S. in the war on terror and added the CPP-NPA to the list of terrorist organisations, renewing violence. Following the launch of a counter-insurgency by the Philippine government, negotiations have been further delayed due to suspected internal differences between the CPP ‘old guard’ and younger members.

The Moro Insurgency (1968 - )

Philippines-Mindanao

The Moro Insurgency began in 1968, in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago after the killing of Moro Commandos, the so-called Jabidah Massacre, by the Philippine Army following a plot to invade Sabah province in Malaysia. The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) captured a swath of territory in the mid-1970s. In an attempt to stem the violence, the constitution was reformed and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created 1990 granting a devolution of power to the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Following the establishment of the ARMM, the MNLF splintered into a range of smaller groups including Islamic factions such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayef Goup (ASG). The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was signed in 2014.

Close

Philippine Insurgencies (1968 - )

Stage

Framework/substantive - partial

Conflict nature

Inter-group

Peace process

Philippines-Mindanao: Local Processes

Parties

Members of the Royal Sultanate League of the Philippines

Aleem Pres Ibrahim S Camama
Engr Ali M Mimbisa, va
Hadid Cabara [illegible]
Hali [illegible] Gulim
Sohaily D Curkie
Hadji Jalal Masimban
Dr Ben Kaoil
[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible] D. Sansarona
Nasser S. Bagul
HRH Sukarno Magarang
Sen [illegible]
Datolah Maclis U. Balt
Sultan Manaron Banocag
Sultan Cosain Naim
Nooruddin B Balur
Amer L Panganting
Usodan D Pangcoga
Usman Abdullah
Omar A Sarip
Cacar A Bastur
Abdulcalam A Didaagun  
Alimen A. Acoon
Basher H Davd
Alimar D. Mamacotao
Sittie Juharah Pacalundo
Johanie B Buscay
Ashary A Abdullah
Zainoden R Bazetz
A Faisal G Didaagun
A Naim Guinoza Oranayay
Mohsin I Calanoada
Gaffar Daud
Abdullah M Balar
Aminollah Alangca
Noraida M Acoon
Potre Acoon H Salio
Jamilah G Acoon
SA H Carima M Dansal
Norhaya L Macapando
Acoon, Ampa Saromandang
Acoon, Naipah
Sarimpamaton Ding
Gadansalan Saripmaomin
Sultan Nasser Magadaub
[illegible]
[illegible]
H Hisalid – Acoon
Abdulrahman Saliput
Abdul [illegible]
H. Abdul Fattah Bantnas
Anwar S Haini Sapiin
H Salie B Tago
[illegible]
[illegible]
Hja Faisah Manalocen  
Hja Nobiai Balawag
Hja Rahma Mamarinta
Sultan Busren [illegible]
Dalucali Camilo [illegible]
Pauroding D Oanugaton
Jamel G oti
Sultan Bangsaan U [illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible]
HRH Sul Amanah P Bantogaranao
Sultan Esrapil Rancaig
[illegible] Didato
[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible]
Failsal M A Imam
Nasruddin B Badio
Empty
Samandung [illegible]
Muhammad Camoma
H Hidjarah M Camoma
Marjan M Camoma – Ali
Omerah M Topiara
[illegible] M  [illegible] al-hat
[illegible] O Tangote
Ustaz Badal Aloyudan
Doud Diamante
Ghassan B Ali
Basher T Diar
A Rahman A. Gabanzos
A Karim Ambor
H Faiz S Alento
Omar Lipa
Ranyan S. Ibrahim
[illegible]
Sultan Mohd Amer Odal
Sultan Arman Alamhali
Sultan Sga Matoning
Ba-e Tatah B Daluma
Ba-e Asmiah Dimapora
Ba-e Potremona Ali
H. Najeb Bato
Dain Salie

Third parties

-

Description

The sultans and ba-es commit to working for the common good and lasting peace, declaring the area of Marawi a zone of peace/Darusalam

Agreement document

PH_171219_Historic Iligan Royal Declaration.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type

Isolated example

Rationale

This agreement is part of the same gathering of local leaders as the Meranao Peace Declaration of 31/12/2017. In fact, the participants completed the signing of the Historic Iligan Royal Declaration on 29/12/2017, in the same hotel as the one where the Meranao Peace Declaration document is signed. Thus, while there are two documents from the meeting, they form an isolated example of peacemaking.

Is there a documented link to a national peace process?

No

Link to national process: articulated rationale

There is no indication that these talks were part of the negotiations between the main sides in the Mindanao conflict.

Name of Locale

Marawi City

Nature of Locale

City

GPS Lat/Long (DD)

8.000000, 124.000000

Participant type

Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder

Mediator, facilitator or similar

No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

Page 1:
WHEREFORE, anent to the foregoing, the undersigned Sultans and Ba-es of the said national Sultanate League, finally declared also Marawi as a “Zone of Peace/Darusalam” instead of a “Killing field/Darul Harb” and further committed themselves to help and assist in the re-construction of Marawi (Insha Allah).

Grievance List

No specific mention.

Cattle rustling/banditry

No specific mention.

Social cover

No specific mention.