More than 144 leaders and stakeholders from across the Bangsamoro gathered for the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (TJR) Summit, a landmark event affirming that transitional justice is essential to achieving inclusive and sustained peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Participants included representatives from government peace panels, BARMM ministries, Indigenous Peoples (IP), Moro and settler communities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), civil society organizations, academe, development partners, and diplomatic missions. Together, they reflected on the region’s progress, confronted continuing challenges, and identified urgent priorities for advancing transitional justice, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding.
The summit marked the culmination of the five-year TRANSFORM Program of Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), implemented in partnership with Teduray Lambangian Women’s Organization, Inc. (TLWOI), United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD), Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw (BALAOD Mindanaw), and Kalimudan sa Ranao Foundation, Inc. (KFI).
Since 2020, the consortium has worked alongside conflict-affected communities to address historical injustices, identity- and resource-based conflicts, and human rights violations, while supporting the right to self-determination (RSD), particularly of Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIPs). These efforts have aimed to strengthen inclusive and democratic governance in the Bangsamoro.
Throughout the summit, a consistent message emerged: transitional justice remains the missing piece of the peace process. It is not merely about acknowledging the past, but about dismantling structures of injustice and ensuring that all communities meaningfully benefit from peace.
Keynote messages, panel discussions, solidarity commitments, and exhibits emphasized:
• The urgent institutionalization of transitional justice at national and regional levels
• Empowering IDPs, NMIPs, women, and youth as active stakeholders in governance
• Strengthening mechanisms for truth-telling, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence
• Recognizing oral histories and customary justice systems
• Protecting Indigenous Peoples’ land rights
• Operationalizing the BARMM IDP Law
• Reframing monitoring and evaluation as tools for social accountability and empowerment
Two plenary sessions focused on empowering IDPs to engage in transitional justice and preventing violent extremism in BARMM, as well as fostering innovative approaches to conflict transformation. Presentations on Monitoring and Evaluation and the Guidelines in Advocating for the Rights and Welfare of Displaced IPs further grounded discussions in practical action.
The summit concluded with a collective call to action anchored on six priorities:
- Full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), including its transitional justice commitments.
- Just and timely processing of reparations for IDPs
- Protection of Indigenous Peoples’ land rights
- Institutionalization of transitional justice mechanisms at regional and national levels
- Genuine participation of civil society and communities in governance
- Guarantees of non-recurrence through truth-telling, accountability, and inclusive development
The event culminated in the “Pagpalain Bangsamoro” signing ceremony, symbolizing a shared commitment among government, civil society, and community leaders to actively build a just and inclusive future.
The message was clear: transitional justice is not an afterthought. It is the very foundation of lasting peace in the Bangsamoro.
Outcome document: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/00aff2891f.html#page/4
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