PRESIDENT ARROYO PRAISES U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000214 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP, PM, AND EAP/MTS USPACOM ALSO FOR FPA HUSO AND J5 SECDEF/OSD/ISA/AP (TOOLAN/BAILEY) JOINT STAFF/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: PREL PTER MARR MASS MOPS MCAP RP SUBJECT: PRESIDENT ARROYO PRAISES U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM ASSISTANCE REF: A. MANILA 196 ¶B. MANILA 179 Classified By: (U) Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney for reasons 1.4(b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. President Arroyo effusively thanked Ambassador Kenney for U.S. help during the recent Armed Forces of the Philippines operation to eliminate the Abu Sayyaf Group leader Abu Sulaiman. She called ongoing counterterrorism cooperation on Jolo a "triumph" in the war on terror. She has set clear objectives for the armed forces: destroy the Abu Sayyaf Group; defeat the Communist New People's Army; and, contain secessionist movements. She expressed optimism that the Senate will pass long anticipated anti-terrorism legislation. President Arroyo's focus on the New People's Army, which she has labeled a "strategic threat," makes almost inevitable further Philippine requests for assistance against the NPA. (Septel will cover Philippine Defense Reform discussions.) END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in a January 18 meeting with Ambassador Kenney, visiting U.S. members of the Philippine Defense Reform Executive Steering Committee, and her senior defense staff expressed effusive thanks for U.S. help in the operation to eliminate Jainal Antel Sali AKA Abu Solaiman, the operations chief of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ref a). Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Esperon commented that "there is nothing like intelligence driven operations" and praised U.S. assistance in the meeting and later to the media. He said the morale of Philippine troops was at an all time high, and that they were foregoing leave in order to be part of the final fight eliminate the Abu Sayyaf Group and Jemaah Islamiyah leadership. President Arroyo noted that Abu Solaiman, who had planned the February 2004 Superferry 14 bombing and the February 2005 "Valentine's Day" attacks, had been the "brains" behind Abu Sayyaf operations. "He was the intellectual of the group and really the head," she said, predicting that his death would demoralize the terrorist organization. JOLO: A TRIUMPH IN THE WAR ON TERROR -------------- ¶3. (C) President Arroyo called U.S.-Philippine counterterrorism cooperation a symbol of the two countries' partnership. Reflecting on her recent visit to Jolo, she observed that the United States was "loved and appreciated" there. "It's a model American triumph in the war on terrorism," she commented. Ambassador Kenney observed that the progress on Jolo was an important step forward, confirming that the United States wanted to be a strong partner and to help make the Philippines a safer and more peaceful place. CLEAR OBJECTIVES FOR 2007 -------------- ¶4. (C) President Arroyo expressed hope that 2007 would be the year that "everything would come together." She voiced satisfaction at the signing of an Association of Southeast Nations counterterrorism convention at the just concluded ASEAN Summit (ref b),and said she was pushing Senate President Villar to approve pending anti-terrorism legislation. (The House has already passed similar legislation.) The President stated that her focus was not just the Abu Sayyaf Group, but also the Communist New People's Army, which she labeled just as much a terrorist threat, noting that "they have been our strategic enemy for the last 30 years." Ambassador Kenney noted that the ongoing, U.S.-supported Philippine Defense Reform program would help the Philippine military deal with an array of modern threats, including internal security operations. ¶5. (C) President Arroyo explained that she had assumed the defense portfolio after the November 2006 resignation of then-Defense Secretary Cruz in order to "jump start" equipment procurement and to "clarify" the Armed Forces of the Philippines' missions. She described her three-fold focus: -- destroying the Abu Sayyaf Group; -- bringing about the strategic defeat of the New People's MANILA 00000214 002 OF 002 Army; and, -- containing secessionist movements. On the last point, President Arroyo noted that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had apparently accepted the Philippine government's offer of self-determination and that the two sides were moving forward toward a peace agreement. A HAND OF STEEL -------------- ¶6. (U) In a subsequent statement to the press, President Arroyo called Abu Solaiman's death a "strategic victory" and "proof" of the U.S.-Philippine partnership in the war against terror. Pointing to the ASEAN counterterrorism convention, she added that the Philippines was ready to work with its Southeast Asian partners as well as the United States to stop terrorism. While vowing to be the "hand of steel against evil," President Arroyo emphasized her resolve to build a durable peace through economic development and dialogue. COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (C) President Arroyo, who personally met Gracia Burnham and other survivors of the Dos Palmas kidnapping, understandably took great satisfaction in the elimination of Abu Solaiman, and appeared firm in her resolve to eliminate the remaining Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah leadership on the island of Jolo. She was just as clear in her determination to dismantle the New People's Army, and we should expect that the Philippine government will inevitably turn to us for further assistance in going after this other group that the U.S. has already designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm KENNEY