The Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), the GPH-MILF peace process mechanism established under the Normalization Annex of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, presented its report on 15 March 2016 in Cotabato City. A second launch will be held on March 16 2016 in Manila.
More than 200 individuals, organizations and representatives from local, regional, national and international entities attended the ceremony that began with an ecumenical invocation for peace.
Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process of the Government of the Philippines (GPH), thanked the TJRC for the excellent work done, underlined the importance of the TJRC report and recommendation to pave the way for healing and reconciliation. She read the memorandum signed by the Executive Secretary issued on 11 March 2016, instructing her Office to endorse the TJRC report to the relevant agencies for their review, assessment and implementation and encourage to mainstream the framework proposed by the TJRC report.
MILF Peace Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commended the TJRC for its excellent work and recalled how necessary it is to understand the historical roots of the conflict, in order to build a better sustainable future. Furthermore, he insisted that transitional justice is part of the Framework agreement and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, and that much work is still needed to be realized, notably passing a BBL and making sure that the recommendation of TJRC are implemented fully and gradually. He concluded saying that “Today a national concerted effort towards understanding and acceptance is beginning”.
Ms. Mô Bleeker, TJRC Chair, explained how the TJRC realized its report. She shared the conceptual approach of the TJRC that combines a conflict transformation approach and the rights of victims and duties of states to truth, justice, reparation and guarantee of nonrecurrence. “There is no model”, she said, “this approach offers a combination of efforts that are mutually reinforcing and can contribute to long stranding process of change towards peace, Rule of Law and towards a society that manages diversity constructively and is in condition to prevent the commission of atrocities”. She detailed the content of the findings and reiterated the importance of an independent body, as prerequisite to achieve results that answer the needs of victims and contribute to prevent the recurrence of the conflict. She ended stating that the TJRC was told there was a Bangsamoro problem and that the TJRC has come to the conclusion that there is a Bangsamoro opportunity for the Philippines.
Representatives of the Business community, the Security Sector, Indigenous Peoples, Muslim and Christian Communities shared their view about the TJRC report, its importance for them and their communities and underlined the crucial importance of dealing with the past to ensure a peaceful future.
Atty. Cecilia Jimenez-Damary, GPH Designate to the TJRC, in her concluding remarks thanked all the actors involved in what shall become a nationwide effort.
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