GPH Peace Implementing Panel

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃:
𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐏𝐇 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐌𝐞𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐧 𝐒. 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟑𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐏𝐇 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬
4 𝘈𝘶𝘨𝘶𝘴𝘵 2026 | 𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘰 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺

𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘬𝘶𝘮 𝘸𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘪 𝘵𝘢’𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘸𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘩𝘶.

Chairman Iqbal, distinguished members of both Panels, Tan Sri Zainal Abidin (Third Party Facilitator and/or Special Adviser), members of the International Contact Group (ICG) and the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), good afternoon.

Let me begin by thanking Chairman Iqbal and our Malaysian facilitator. This is my first time addressing you as Chair of the GPH Panel, and I accept this responsibility with humility, optimism, and a firm commitment to continue building on the trust that has brought us this far.

We meet at a critical moment. Much has been achieved since 2014. Just as clearly, much remains to be done. Our task is no longer simply to keep the process moving. Our task is to ensure that what we have built together will continue to stand, long after today’s challenges have passed.

Since assuming this responsibility in April, one question has stayed with me every single day: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁? Not only on paper, but in the hearts of our people and in the lives of the generations that will follow.

For me, the durability of this Agreement will not be measured simply by the passage of time. It will be measured by whether our institutions continue to function, whether our mechanisms continue to resolve problems, whether the trust and partnership we have built continue to grow stronger, and whether our communities continue to experience the real and lasting benefits of peace despite political transitions and implementation challenges.

That question has guided every conversation I have had with implementing agencies, with our mechanisms, with our partners, and with many of you. It has also changed the way I look at our work.

Elections, intergovernmental relations, observance of the ceasefire, maintenance of peace and order in mutually agreed areas, decommissioning, socioeconomic development for decommissioned combatants, the transformation of the six previously acknowledged camps, amnesty, and transitional justice—they are all part of the same question: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿?

That question has also challenged our teams. Are we truly changing lives in the camps, or are we merely completing projects? Is every decommissioned combatant receiving what we promised, or are some still waiting? Are we coordinating well enough that communities experience one peace process rather than a collection of separate programs?

These are not simply technical questions.

They are questions of trust.

And trust, once earned, must be nurtured every day.

I saw this clearly three weeks ago in Camp Badre.

Communities do not experience implementation one program at a time. They experience it as a whole. The road from the national highway to Datalpandan in Guindulungan, Maguindanao del Sur is now largely paved, improving access to communities. Bridge work remains to be completed, but people can now travel with greater confidence. Seeing government security forces working alongside their BIAF counterparts reminded me how far we have come. Years ago, such a scene would have been difficult to imagine. Today, it reflects the trust painstakingly built through the enduring ceasefire and the steady work of our jointly established mechanisms.

The snacks served during our visit were prepared by members of the community through a bakery established under the Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT). It may seem like a simple detail, but it captures what implementation looks like from the perspective of the people we serve.

A road that allows safer travel.

A livelihood that creates opportunity.

A functioning ceasefire that gives communities the confidence to invest in their future.

Access to government services.

These are not isolated interventions. Together, they become the lived experience of peace.

Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to the M**F for its continued commitment. Despite implementation challenges and the demands of a changing political environment, you have remained steadfast in sustaining the ceasefire and strengthening our joint mechanisms. Together, we have preserved confidence between the Parties, safeguarded the gains of the peace process, and continued resolving issues through dialogue—even when progress has not always been as fast as either side would have hoped.

These visits also reminded me that we need to become even more serious about monitoring implementation. Across government, much good work is happening. Yet we still do not have a complete picture of who has received what, who is still waiting, and what remains to be done. We need a system that allows us to see clearly what has been delivered, what is outstanding, and what our next steps should be.

We cannot improve what we cannot clearly see. Accountability begins with visibility.

We also need to communicate this peace process more openly and more honestly—with our communities, our stakeholders, and the Filipino people. They deserve to know not only that we continue to meet, but what we have agreed upon, who is responsible, and how we intend to move forward together. We should never allow others to define the narrative of peace for us.

This brings me to a broader point.

The two tracks of the CAB and the four aspects of Normalization are not separate undertakings. They are one Agreement, one shared commitment, and one shared responsibility. Progress in one area strengthens the others. Delay in one affects them all. If we want this Agreement to endure, we must continue moving these commitments forward together—with the same trust, openness, and partnership that brought us to this point.

In a little over a month, the Bangsamoro will hold its first parliamentary elections. Whatever the outcome of those elections may be, our shared responsibility remains the same. The true measure of our success will be whether we continue to uphold the institutions, the mechanisms, and the commitments established under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

I believe our work is entering a new chapter. We have institutions in place. We have mechanisms that have stood the test of difficult moments. Even during periods of political transition and disagreement, these mechanisms have continued to function, allowing us to resolve issues through dialogue rather than conflict. That is institutional resilience. More importantly, it is evidence that the partnership we have built together is strong.

Chairman Iqbal, distinguished colleagues, peace has always required patience. It still does. But patience alone is not enough. It also requires trust, courage, consistency, and above all, the willingness to continue walking together even when the road becomes difficult.

Allow me to assure you that the Government of the Philippines (GPH) comes to this table not only ready to work, but committed to walking this journey with you—as partners. We are not here to revisit what we have already settled. We are here to fulfill what we have promised, strengthen what we have built together, and ensure that this Agreement continues to bring hope, opportunity, and a better future for every Bangsamoro community.

For my part, I will do everything within my responsibility to help ensure that the gains we have achieved are protected, strengthened, and made lasting. My hope is that years from now, people will remember not the meetings we held, but the peace we helped make permanent.

Together, let us make this Agreement endure.

Together, let us make peace irreversible.

We owe that to the Bangsamoro people.

We owe it to every Filipino who continues to believe that this Agreement matters.

Thank you.

𝘞𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘪 𝘵𝘢𝘶𝘧𝘪𝘲 𝘸𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘩.

𝘞𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘬𝘶𝘮 𝘸𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘩𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘩𝘪 𝘵𝘢’𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘸𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘩𝘶.

𝙂𝙋𝙃 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝙄𝙇𝙁 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙢 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙤 𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨

𝘋𝘢𝘷𝘢𝘰 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺 - The Peace Implementing Panels of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F) convened today, 4 August 2026 for their 38th Meeting. This marks the Panels' formal re-engagement following the designation of Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen Sarmiento as the new GPH PIP Chair. The meeting reaffirmed both parties' shared commitments to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and discussed the way forward in implementing remaining commitments.

Notably, both parties signed two documents during the meeting:

1. 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐏𝐇 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐀𝐁
Both Parties reaffirmed the CAB, directed the peace process mechanisms to resume joint operations, and renewed their pledges to complete remaining commitments under the normalization track.
2. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟑𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
Both parties noted the mutual trust and renewed commitment shown during the meeting and announced the conduct of a Special Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Both sides also expressed their sincere appreciation to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the Malaysian Government through the Third Party Facilitator/Special Adviser, the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT), and the International Contact Group (ICG) for their presence during the meeting and for their continued support to the peace process.

Through the conduct of this meeting, both sides move forward to reaffirm their shared duty towards a just and lasting peace for the Bangsamoro and the entire Filipino nation.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃:
𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝟑𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐏𝐇 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬

The Peace Implementing Panels of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F) successfully held their 38th meeting on 4 August 2026 in Davao City.

The meeting was characterized by mutual trust, sincerity, and renewed commitment to work together towards the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). As the political track of the CAB culminates with the establishment of the regular Bangsamoro Government following the first regular Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), the Parties acknowledge the necessity of advancing the implementation of the normalization track, in the spirit of continuity and sustainability of the dividends of peace. To this end, the Panels signed the Declaration of Continuity of the Partnership between the GPH and the M**F in the Implementation of the CAB.

In this endeavor and in light of the recent designation of Secretary Mel Senen S. Sarmiento as the new Chair of the GPH Peace Implementing Panel, the Panels hereby direct all GPH-M**F peace process mechanisms and existing technical working groups (TWGs) under it to continue their joint engagements and activities in fulfillment of their respective mandates.

To reinforce the regained trust and confidence between the Parties, the Panels likewise agreed to conduct a Special Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is tentatively scheduled on 25 September 2026. Pursuant to the directive of the Panels during their 37th meeting, the TWG on the Roadmap Development for the Implementation of the CAB is directed to prepare the presentation of its Terms of Reference (TOR) to the Panels during the Special Meeting.

The Parties extend their appreciation to His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for his unwavering commitment towards the realization of the provisions of the peace agreement; to M**F Chair Al Haj Murad B. Ebrahim and the M**F Central Committee for their steadfast dedication to achieving our shared objective of just and lasting peace in the Bangsamoro; to Secretary Antonio Ernesto F. Lagdameo, Jr. of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP) and to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) for coordinating and mobilizing the National Government agencies through their leadership in the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization (ICCMN), and for OPAPRU’s continued provision of support to the implementation of the CAB; to the Bangsamoro Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua for its outstanding efforts toward the implementation of the Normalization Program; to the Malaysian Government through the Third Party Facilitator and/or Special Adviser His Excellency Gen. Prof. Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Ts. Haji Zulkifli bin Zainal Abidin and to the members of the International Contact Group (ICG), namely, the Governments of Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and United Kingdom, and international nongovernment organizations Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Community of Sant’Egidio, Conciliation Resources, and Muhammadiyah, for their invaluable contribution in ensuring the integrity of the peace process; to the Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) for its dependable monitoring and assessment of the implementation of the agreements of the Parties; and to the various GPH-M**F peace process mechanisms for their persistent undertaking of their respective functions to completing the deliverables of the CAB.

In the spirit of our shared responsibility towards just and lasting peace, the Parties express their sincerest gratitude to all stakeholders, including the Mindanao peace advocates, and jointly reaffirm their commitment to strive towards meaningful and inclusive fulfillment of the peace agreement for the benefit of all people in the Bangsamoro.

Done this 4th day of August 2026 in Davao City, Philippines.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃:
𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐏𝐇 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐅 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐀𝐁

The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F), hereinafter referred to as “the Parties”, hereby declare and agree as follows:

1. Twelve (12) years after the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the Parties recognize the substantial gains achieved through its implementation, while acknowledging that important commitments remain to be completed. The Parties reaffirm that these remaining obligations shall continue to be pursued jointly in a parallel and commensurate manner, and in accordance with the CAB and its established implementation arrangements.

2. The Parties reaffirm the CAB, as containing their shared understanding and commitment to each other and for the Bangsamoro people and the entire Filipino nation, and as the framework governing the implementation of all their signed agreements.

3. The Parties maintain their shared responsibility to honor, respect and faithfully implement the CAB and all other signed agreements, and to continue taking the necessary steps toward their implementation;

4. The Parties shall continue strong coordination and implementation processes necessary to complete the commitments under the CAB. Through the Peace Implementing Panels and the jointly established mechanisms, they shall seek to agree on mutually determined priorities for its implementation. The Parties direct the peace process mechanisms to resume their joint operations and continue to perform their functions;

5. The Parties seek the goodwill among our leaders, as well as the support of all stakeholders, in the implementation of the CAB for all to reap the fruits of the social, economic, security, and political reforms and measures stipulated in the agreement;

6. The Parties likewise reaffirm the agreed peace process mechanisms and their crucial roles in fully implementing the CAB and in helping secure positive peace. These mechanisms include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Third Party Facilitator and/or Special Adviser;
b. International Contact Group (ICG);
c. Third Party Monitoring Team (TPMT);
d. Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH);
e. Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG);
f. Joint Normalization Committee (JNC), including the Joint Peace and Security Committee (JPSC) and the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPSTs);
g. Independent Decommissioning Body (IDB);
h. Task Force for Decommissioned Combatants and their Communities (TFDCC);
i. Joint Task Forces on Camps Transformation (JTFCT);
j. Technical Working Group on Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TWG-TJR);
k. Bangsamoro Normalization Trust Fund (BNTF);
l. Joint Communications Committee (JCC); and
m. International Monitoring Team (IMT), subject to further Panels’ discussion.

7. As we go through the first regular Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections and the anticipated establishment of the regular Bangsamoro Government to fulfill the political track, the Parties reaffirm that the implementation of the CAB shall continue and ensure that these mechanisms perform their essential functions; and

8. The Parties hereby reaffirm their faith in the peace process and renew their pledge to continue working jointly, in good faith and with mutual respect, toward just and lasting peace for the Bangsamoro and the entire Filipino nation.

Done this 4th day of August 2026 in Davao City.

Serving concurrently as the Government of the Philippines (GPH) Chair of the Government Peace Implementing Panel for the GPH-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F) peace process, Sec. Sarmiento is leading renewed peace engagement to sustain momentum and advance the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐘:
𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙖𝙬 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙤 𝙊𝙧𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙇𝙖𝙬 (𝘽𝙊𝙇)

Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), was signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on 27 July 2018. This landmark law serves as the enabling statute of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F). The passage and enactment of the BOL paved the way for the creation of the BARMM as the new Bangsamoro political entity with a ministerial form of government, through a plebiscite conducted on 21 January 2019.