PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON UNLAWFUL KILLINGS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000962 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017 TAGS: PREL PHUM PINS RP SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR COMMENTS ON UNLAWFUL KILLINGS REF: A. MANILA 855 ¶B. MANILA 777 ¶C. MANILA 683 Classified By: Charge Paul W. Jones for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Presidential Peace Process Advisor and cabinet member "Jess" Dureza raised the issue of unlawful killings with Charge and poloff March 20 after discussing the peace process (septel). The recent telephone call from D/NSA Crouch to Philippine NSA Gonzales, together with U.S. Congressional hearings, prompted another cabinet-level discussion of the issue, Dureza said. The Executive Secretary summed up the discussion by stating that the government should move promptly to seek convictions of soldiers or police responsible for unlawful killings. This was agreed, Dureza said, despite a range of views within the cabinet on the nature of the problem and the political impact of the U.S. hearings. There was much discussion, Dureza continued, about whether to make public the names of six soldiers whom the Philippine National Police (PNP) has identified as being involved in unlawful killings in order to send a public message about the government's seriousness. Some cabinet members argued that the soldiers' rights to privacy should be protected, while others believed the information should be made public. (Comment: The PNP has filed charges against four of the suspects with the Department of Justice, and two are already under arrest. The PNP continues to investigate the other two cases and charges are imminent, according to Captain Henry Libay, of the PNP's Task Force Usig. End Comment.) ¶2. (C) There was a sense in the cabinet that the New People's Army (NPA) and the leftists who support it were winning the propaganda war, Dureza continued. Dureza and some cabinet members believed that members of the military probably have been involved in some unlawful killings, but far from many or all of them. Charge underscored that the best way to deprive the NPA of a propaganda victory was to convict those involved, contrasting the government's approach to that of the NPA, which publicizes NPA executions. Dureza agreed, adding that the cabinet was very receptive to U.S. assistance to improve capabilities of investigators and prosecutors. ¶3. (C) Dureza commented that unlawful killings take place in a larger context of a lack confidence in the judicial system. He noted the lack of a general public outcry against such killings. There is an unfortunate prevalent attitude within Philippine society that unlawful killings were an acceptable way to eliminate criminals and "troublemakers." By way of example, Dureza said that unlawful killings of drug traffickers in Davao City have long been an "open secret" generating little or no public outcry. After the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency listed major drug traffickers in Davao, unknown local actors had them "eliminated." By contrast, Dureza said that many years ago he and other attorneys in Davao organized a well-publicized citizen's hot line to report instances of police or military abuse, which lessened the problem. -------------- Comment: -------------- ¶4. (C) Dureza's comments underscore the need for capacity building within the AFP, Philippine National Police, and judiciary, as well as an extensive media/educational campaign against unlawful killings. All U.S. training for the police and military incorporates human rights and rule of law. Continued U.S. engagement is critical to addressing this problem. 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/ JONES