Secretary Jesus Dureza led government officials in unveiling the marker of the first GRP compliance monitoring station under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRHIL).

“Respect for human rights is something we will always have to adhere to and strengthen,” said Dureza in his message.

Dureza is head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

“Today’s launching of the GRP Monitoring Committee’s Mindanao Station is yet another important milestone in the government’s earnest efforts to actualize this manifestation,” GRP Panel Chair and Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III also said in a message read by panel member Antonio Arellano.

The monitoring station is the first to be established by the Philippine government since it signed the CARHRIHL with the National Democratic Front NDF) in March 1998.

It will receive reports and complaints of “non-compliance” of the provisions of CARHRIHL in the 10 conflict-affected regions where the monitoring stations will be established and endorse it to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).

CARHRIHL is by far the first and only agreement signed among the five substantive agenda in the GRP-NDF peace negotiations.

“Today’s launching is clear evidence of the government’s commitment to abide by its duties and responsibilities in the pursuit of lasting peace in our country and a display of this administration’s willingness to go the extra mile despite the serious difficulties that we have been facing along the way,” Bello explained.

The GRP panel chair is in Kuwait and was not able to attend the launching.

Dureza said the government would like to see the mechanism of the monitoring committee already working on the ground.

“We will test its (JMC) functionality,” Dureza added.

Although CARHRIHL was signed in 1998, the JMC was not formally constituted until the Rome 3rd Round of Talks under the Duterte administration in January this year.

“Perhaps this will encourage our counterpart across the table to also set their own,” the OPAPP secretary added.

Peace talks between the Philippine government and NDF has been suspended over continued rebel attacks that included the ambush of the convoy of Presidential Security Guards in Carmen, Cotabato Province on July 19 this year.

But Dureza said he is confident both parties will be able to hurdle the impasse and that both panels will soon resume negotiations.

He declined to further elaborate.

GRP Panel Member Antonio Arellano said the setting up of monitoring stations is a “unilateral action” on the part of the Philippine government.

“The document (CARHRIHL) promotes the rights of the Filipino people.  It humanizes the ongoing armed conflict.  It seeks to protect both combatants and civilians against violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” Arellano explained.

The pilot GRP monitoring station will be housed at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines building inside the Hall of Justice Compound in Davao City.

Former Iligan City mayor and lawyer Franklin Quijano is the chair of the GRP Joint Monitoring Committee.