March 18, 1997
This Supplemental Agreement to the Joint Agreement on the Formation, Sequence and Operationalization of the Reciprocal Working Committees (RWC Agreement) is being entered into by and between:
THE NEGOTIATING PANEL OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC
OF THE PHILIPPINES, hereinafter referred to as the GRP Panel,
represented by its Chairperson, Howard Q. Dee;
and
THE NEGOTIATING PANEL OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC FRONT
OF THE PHILIPPINES, hereinafter referred to as the NDFP Panel,
represented by its Chairperson, Luis G. Jalandoni.
ARTICLE I
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS, the GRP and NDFP Panels signed The Hague Joint Declaration of 1 September 1992 which, among others, sets the framework of mutually acceptable principles and the substantive agenda of the peace negotiations, and the Joint Agreement on the Formation, Sequence and Operationalization of the Reciprocal Working Committees (RWC Agreement) of 26 June 1995 which provides for, among others, the conduct of work and reasonable time frame of the RWCs;
WHEREAS, both Panels affirm that the common goal of the aforesaid negotiations and agreements is the attainment of a just and lasting peace;
WHEREAS, the GRP acknowledges that there is a limited time for the peace negotiations to be completed within the Ramos administration and there is a common desire by both Parties to accelerate the peace negotiations.
ARTICLE II
PROCESS AND TIMETABLE
The two Negotiating Panels agree on the following:
Section 1. Conduct of Work
Pursuant to the RWC Agreement, the four RWCs of both Panels shall strive to complete their work on or before June 30,1997 by arriving at tentative comprehensive agreements for each major heading of the substantive agenda assigned to them on the basis of the following schedule:
The RWCs on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (HR & IHL) shall strive to complete the tentative comprehensive agreement assigned to them within two weeks of continuous work in March 1997.
The RWCs on Social and Economic Reforms (SER) shall meet for the first time and endeavor to complete the tentative comprehensive agreement assigned to them within two weeks of continuous work in April 1997.
The Negotiating Panels may separately form their respective RWCs on political and constitutional reforms (PCR) and RWCs on end of hostilities and disposition of forces at any time, with the aim of preparing for and exerting the best effort to complete the tentative comprehensive agreements assigned to them for drafting within two weeks of continuous work in May 1997 and June 1997, respectively, provided the comprehensive agreements mentioned in paragraphs a and b above are signed by the Negotiating Panels and approved by their respective Principals.
Section 2. Effectivity of the Comprehensive Agreements
The agreement/s on each heading of the substantive agenda shall take effect upon its/their signing by the Negotiating Panels and approval by their respective Principals.
The sequence of the headings as set forth in the substantive agenda shall remain firm and the effectivity of an approved comprehensive agreement shall not be delayed but shall help to accelerate the work on the next comprehensive agreement being worked upon.
ARTICLE III
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. This Supplemental Agreement shall take effect upon the signing hereof by the Chairpersons of the two Panels.
Section 2. The inability of the Negotiating Panels to complete their work according to the desired schedule in Section 1 above on or before July 1, 1997 shall be no ground for ending the peace negotiations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunder signed this Supplemental Agreement this 18th of March 1997 at Breukelen, The Netherlands.
The Government of the Republic The National Democratic Front
of the Philippines Negotiating Panel: of the Philippines Negotiating Panel:
Howard Q. Dee Luis G. Jalandoni
Chairperson, GRP Negotiating Panel Chairperson, NDFP Negotiating Panel
Rep. Jose V. Yap Fidel V. Agcaoili
Member Member
Mr. Silvestre H. Bello III Coni K. Ledesma
Member Member
Atty. Rene V. Sarmiento Asterio B. Palima
Member Member
Ms. Zenaida H. Pawid Jojo Magdiwang
Member Member
Witnesses:
Teresita L. de Castro Jose Maria Sison
Asst. Chief State Counsel Chief Political Consultant
GRP NDFP Negotiating Panel
Ma. Carla L. Munsayac Romeo T. Capulong
Executive Director General Counsel
GRP Negotiating Panel NDFP Negotiating Panel
Secretariat
Sotero Llamas
Political Consultant
NDFP Negotiating Panel
Brig. Gen. Raymundo Jarque (ret.)
Consultant NDFP Negotiating Panel
Danilo Borjal
Consultant
NDFP Negotiating Panel