GOVERNOR OF JOLO SEEKS POLICE ASSISTANCE; GRATEFUL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000175 SIPDIS SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018 TAGS: PTER MOPS PINS RP SUBJECT: GOVERNOR OF JOLO SEEKS POLICE ASSISTANCE; GRATEFUL FOR USG HELP Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, reasons. 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: The Governor of the southern island of Jolo - where Philippine Armed Forces track high-value terrorists with direct assistance from U.S. Special Forces - expressed deep appreciation for USG development and military assistance, which he said is helping rejuvenate the remote island. He praised a U.S. "1207" project to extend the island's runway to accommodate larger commercial and military aircraft as critical to opening markets and his people's perspectives. Better trained and equipped police will be the long-term bulwark against terrorism, he said, and asked if the USG could train police on Jolo. DCM described upcoming U.S.-Philippine military "Balikatan" exercises, which the Governor stressed should emphasize civil-military projects that benefit real people in order to be most helpful in the war on terrorism. The Governor described his efforts to rein in wayward insurgents who may provide terrorists safe haven. We agree with the Governor's observation that the Philippine police, especially in Muslim Mindanao, will be critical to long-term success against terrorism in the Philippines. End Summary. Development and Security -------------- ¶2. (C) Governor Sakur Tan, an experienced leader whose father and uncles were gunned down in Jolo in 1972, told DCM during a private meeting on January 21 that USG assistance has been critical to his efforts to establish peace and order on the terrorist-wracked island province of Jolo, Sulu. He was particularly grateful for the recent U.S. commitment to expand the Jolo airport runway (via a 1207 program),which he directly attributes to Presidents Bush and Arroyo, who briefly discussed the project at the APEC Summit in Sydney last September. His other development priority was expanding Jolo's port, which he planned to discuss with President Arroyo later in the day. The Governor appreciated the close cooperation of U.S. Special Forces (JSOTF-P) soldiers and Philippine military and police, as well as U.S. soldiers' participation in community events that "attune them to local cultural sensitivities." He had already begun coordinating with the Philippine Marines who will take over command from the Philippine Army on Jolo. He was pleased with the �00A;proactive posture of the Philippine Marines in western Jolo, but critical of the inactivity of the Philippine Army in the east of the island, which he expected to change for the better when the Marines took over. Police Assistance -------------- ¶3. (C) Governor Tan emphasized that most challenges to peace and order - which create space for terrorists - are best handled by local police, not the Armed Forces. With 1,400 police assigned to the province, Tan said numbers were sufficient. But training and equipment were woefully inadequate. He asked if U.S. assistance programs could provide training and basic equipment, which would help professionalize the force and keep them on post. Most police officers are locals, he continued, so a local training program could have cumulative impact. The Governor described his progress in dismantling private militias, known as Civilian Voluntary Organizations, and instituting a gun-ban in the province, both of which reduced crime and clan violence. He was working with the Chief of the National Police to identify a new, younger provincial police chief from outside the province, who could provide the dynamic leadership he needed. Wayward Insurgents -------------- ¶4. (C) Governor Tan described his efforts to negotiate with two rebellious insurgent commanders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF),who have been accused of providing refuge to terrorists. Both commanders wanted to see progress on the government-MNLF talks on implementation of their 1996 peace agreement, mediated by the Organization of Islamic Conference. The Governor was lobbying with all sides for the next round of talks to take place on Jolo Island so that the commanders and their followers could see the process first hand, but MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari, under house arrest in Manila, continued to insist that they take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The Governor believed the wayward MNLF MANILA 00000175 002 OF 002 commander on the western side of Jolo (Khaid Ajibon),who has been accused of providing refuge to terrorist leaders, is too weak to force other local commanders with family ties to terrorists to turn them in. The wayward MNLF commander on eastern Jolo (Habier Malik) is a strong leader opposed to terrorists, but the Armed Forces continued to hunt him after his uprisings killed civilians and Philippine soldiers. Despite claims by the Philippine Armed Forces that these wayward commanders had lost influence due to their lawless activities, Tan said they remained quite influential on Jolo. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The persistent application of U.S. development and security assistance is making progress on Jolo, as well as throughout Mindanao. In addition, U.S. public and private diplomacy is maintaining focus on peace negotiations that can dramatically shrink terrorist safe havens. The wobbly leg of this comprehensive approach - in Jolo as in the rest of the Muslim, southern Philippines - is the Philippine police. The Philippine police will constitute the bulwark against the return of terrorists after the Philippine Armed Forces have eliminated terrorist leaders and redeployed away from Muslim Mindanao. The police have talented leaders who want to play their part in the war on terrorists, but their extreme lack of training and capabilities, if not addressed, means that successes against terrorism may be short-lived. KENNEY