The Peace Implementing Panels of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) successfully concluded a Special Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reaffirming their shared commitment to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The meeting, facilitated by Malaysian Special Adviser Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Panglima Ts Haji Zulkifli Bin Zainal Abidin, resulted in the signing of the Declaration of Continuity of the Partnership between the GPH and the MILF. The agreement follows major milestones achieved under the CAB’s political track, including the successful conduct of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections.
To maintain momentum across the political and normalization tracks, both panels approved the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Roadmap Development for the Implementation of the CAB. Additionally, they signed an addendum establishing an integrated, beneficiary-centered delivery model to speed up socioeconomic interventions for decommissioned combatants and six previously acknowledged MILF camps.
On security mechanisms, the panels extended the mandate of the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) until September 25, 2027, and the Civilian Protection Component (CPC) until September 25, 2028. The panels also agreed in principle to the proposed GPH-MILF Framework for the Small Arms and Light Weapons Management (SALW-M) Program, directing the responsible working group to finalize plans regarding the disbandment of private armed groups and combatant decommissioning. Discussions will continue regarding the proposed revitalization of the International Monitoring Team (IMT) and recommendations on putting weapons beyond use (PWBU).
Regarding transitional justice, the panels adopted Resolution No. 3, series of 2026, which outlines proposed enhancements to pending bills in the 20th Congress for the establishment of the National Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission for the Bangsamoro (NTJRCB). Both parties agreed to formally endorse these recommendations to the Senate and the House of Representatives following a scheduled writeshop with stakeholders.
Expressing optimism for the path ahead, GPH Chairperson Mel Senen Sarmiento highlighted the shift in focus following election milestones. “We are clear about the direction ahead. With the political track now complete, the road before us runs through the Normalization Track, and the period ahead must be one of intensified implementation…We intend to deliver that change without delay,” Sarmiento said.
Echoing the dedication to long-term stability, MILF Chairperson Mohagher Iqbal reaffirmed the front’s commitment to complete the peace process. “The MILF remains committed to the peace process and to the peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues. Much has been achieved. Important commitments remain. Our task now is to finish what we started, so that the combatants who laid down their arms and the families who waited with them [to] see the promise of normalization fulfilled in their lifetime,” Iqbal stated.