19/08/2026
August 19, 2026
HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION ON TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE FOR RIGHTS HOLDERS
TIMANAN, SOUTH UPI, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR
The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) – Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Office, under the leadership of Atty. Asnaima S. Abo, CPA, and in collaboration with its civil society organization partner, Bangsamoro Mediators Incorporated, successfully conducted the Human Rights Education on Transitional Justice for Rights Holders in the Municipality of South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur.
The activity was attended by combatants from the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (M**F), as well as Indigenous Peoples, including representatives of Indigenous Peoples’ civil society organizations from the said municipality.
The Human Rights Education on Transitional Justice (HRE on TJ) session provided participants with a comprehensive understanding of transitional justice, its significance, and its vital role in the continuing struggle of the Bangsamoro people including Indigenous Peoples toward a democratic and peaceful society.
In a nutshell, Special Investigator Aldahas Kanakan stated that transitional justice serves as a foundational pillar of Bangsamoro peacebuilding, addressing the legacies of decades of conflict, human rights violations, and historical injustices. It ensures accountability, restores dignity to victims, fosters genuine reconciliation, and prevents the recurrence of violence. Accordingly, all of these are essential to building a just, inclusive, and sustainable autonomous region where the rights and aspirations of all Bangsamoro communities are fully recognized and upheld.
Participants were also oriented on the provisions of the Bangsamoro Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Act (BAA No. 89) and the mandate it will carry once it becomes fully operational.
The session further emphasized the critical role of the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission, particularly in the documentation of human rights violations committed in the past — dating back to the 1968 Jabidah Massacre and the so‑called “toothpick era” — through the various peace processes that followed.
Bangsamoro Mediators Incorporated representative Miss Usman delivered an in‑depth discussion on the importance of mediation in the reconciliation of land and resource‑based conflicts across the Bangsamoro. During her presentation, Miss Usman stated that conflict mediation plays an indispensable role in the effective implementation of transitional justice: it facilitates constructive dialogue among conflicting parties, bridges historical and communal divides, and resolves disputes over land, ancestral domains, and natural resources, issues that lie at the heart of past and present grievances. She further stated that by fostering voluntary, community‑led, and culturally sensitive settlements, mediation complements formal transitional justice mechanisms, strengthens social cohesion, and ensures that justice and reconciliation are not only legally mandated but also locally rooted and sustainable.
Lastly, the speaker emphasized the role of conflict mediation in resolving resource‑based conflicts in the province and its broader contribution to conflict management and peacebuilding, elaborating on these points through real cases mediated and resolved by their organization.
On behalf of the BHRC and our implementing partner, Bangsamoro Mediators Incorporated, we extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Local Government Unit of South Upi, headed by Hon. Mayor Helen Benito‑Padua, for the invaluable support extended to this activity.
