"COUNCIL OF STATE" MEETING: MUCH HYPE, BUT LITTLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000350 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, INR/EAP, INR/B E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINS PINR PHUM SOCI RP SUBJECT: "COUNCIL OF STATE" MEETING: MUCH HYPE, BUT LITTLE SUBSTANCE REF: A. MANILA 323 ¶B. MANILA 242 ¶C. MANILA 81 ¶D. 05 MANILA 5965 Classified By: Acting Pol/C Joseph L. Novak for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: A Malacanang-sponsored Council of State meeting took place on January 24. The meeting brought together some 75 notables to discuss "issues of national interest," though the Opposition largely boycotted the meeting. The group agreed to create a commission to advocate for Constitutional changes that would turn the current bicameral system into a parliament by 2007. President Arroyo, who made a strong pitch for national unity in her remarks, also used the occasion to announce that a former Supreme Court Chief Justice would serve as her adviser on electoral reform. The event was much hyped, but of little substance. End Summary. -------------- Led by President Arroyo, Council meets -------------- ¶2. (U) A Malacanang-sponsored Council of State meeting took place on January 24. The meeting brought together a wide selection of Filipino notables to discuss issues of national interest (see refs A and C for further background on the rarely-called Council of State meetings). President Arroyo presided over the meeting, which was also attended by Vice President Noli De Castro, Speaker Jose De Venecia, and former president Fidel V. Ramos. There was also a sprinkling of representation by governors and mayors, as well as religious, business and labor figures. Despite Malacanang's entreaties, the Opposition largely boycotted the meeting, attacking the GRP's claims that the meeting could help unite the country. The lone pro-Opposition representative present was Senator Francis Pangilinan of the Liberal Party. -------------- Discussions focus on Constitutional Change -------------- ¶3. (U) The discussions at the closed-door, four-hour meeting kicked off with a brief speech by President Arroyo. Arroyo urged attendees to use the meeting to address the country's pressing problems and "to unite, not divide" the nation. She added: "We're gathered here to discuss issues of great weight and importance to the nation: our economy, our system of governance, our electoral process. These are by no means the limits of the issues pressing the nation: the fight against terrorism, the fight for political stability, the fight against poverty and the fight to re-engage the Philippines in world affairs. Each of these matters is essential to our nation and for the core of my work everyday. I hope we make progress on all of these issues." ¶4. (SBU) The bulk of the meeting focused on proposed Constitutional changes. Amid some give and take, participants (except for the senators present, see below) agreed that Constitutional change was important and that it should move forward. On specifics, there was little dissension from Malacanang's view of the issues involved, including those expressed by a Presidential Commission that issued its report in December 2005 (ref D). Most participants, for example, agreed with a plan that would have the country's current bicameral system converted into a parliamentary system by 2007 headed by a prime minister. President Arroyo would be allowed to serve out her term until 2010 when the prime minister position gained executive powers. One interesting element was the basic agreement of those assembled to the idea that legislative elections should take place in 2007 as planned. In its recent report, the Presidential Commission had urged that elections in 2007 be canceled, with sitting House and Senate members merging together to form a parliament. Having publicly lambasted the idea of scrapping them as "a terrible idea," former president Ramos welcomed the agreement at the Council meeting that elections should be held. (Note: Ramos, who has had tense ties with Malacanang over possible Constitutional change, seemed relatively upbeat about the meeting. End Note.) ¶5. (SBU) Most of the eight senators present did not endorse the proposed Constitutional changes. This was not a MANILA 00000350 002 OF 002 surprise: for various reasons, including the fact that the Senate stands to be dissolved per the proposals on the table, most senators are either opposed to such change or have not yet committed themselves. ¶6. (U) President Arroyo proposed and the group accepted the idea of forming a 15-member commission (made up of non-politicians) that would advocate for Constitutional change at a national level. President Arroyo made clear that she wanted the commission to be a clearinghouse for information on the subject, as well as a vehicle to provide information on the topic to the public at large. (Note: Most polls indicate that the matter of Constitutional change is not a priority for the public and that the issue is poorly understood. End Note.) -------------- Electoral Reform -------------- ¶7. (U) Another topic that came up at the meeting was electoral reform. Participants recognized that the Philippines has real problems with its electoral system due to lack of proper equipment and poorly-trained personnel, amid other problematic areas. Participants agreed that the GRP's Commission on Elections (COMELEC) needs further support, as well as re-structuring. At the close of the meeting, President Arroyo announced that she was naming Hilario Davide Jr., who recently retired as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to serve as her adviser on electoral reform. Arroyo's announcement was greeted with applause as Davide has a reputation for integrity. Davide has 60 days to draft recommendations on the subject. ¶8. (U) The meeting also discussed rural development, law and order, and some other issues, but only briefly. Such issues as counterterrorism, negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, and the New People's Army insurgency were not discussed. The group did not issue an official statement at the meeting's close, though Malacanang issued some press releases. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. (C) The meeting was much hyped, but of little substance. The fact that the Opposition did not attend obviously helped prevent a real give-and-take on the country's problems. The participants were overwhelmingly allies of the President's, which made for a bit of a restrained discussion. President Arroyo does merit commendation for at least reaching out to the Opposition and inviting it to participate. Her comments at the event were also moderate in tone and inclusive. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ Bellard