AMBASSADOR, NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF DISCUSS HUMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 001837 SIPDIS DOJ FOR ICITAP DEPT FOR EAP, INL E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/04/2018 TAGS: MARR PGOV PHUM PINR PINS PREL PTER RP SNAR SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR, NATIONAL POLICE CHIEF DISCUSS HUMAN RIGHTS, PEACE PROCESS, RESOURCE CHALLENGES REF: 2007 MANILA 3800 Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Over a July 31 working breakfast with Philippine National Police (PNP) Director, Gen. Avelino "Sonny" Razon, Ambassador discussed extrajudicial killings (EJKs),the peace process in the southern Philippines, and the challenges that lie ahead for the Philippines' police force. Razon underscored the PNP's commitment to continued progress on EJKs and respect for human rights, and expressed profound appreciation for USG assistance in law enforcement training and for contributions toward the peace process. While acknowledging progress in the search for a lasting peace in the southern Philipines, Razon was frank in his assessment of the significant challenges that lie ahead. The PNP Director outlined the need for additional police personnel and resources, and he described innovative approaches to addressing the problem in the short term. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) The breakfast conversation opened with a discussion of Razon's upcoming mandatory retirement; the PNP chief will step down at the end of September, and likely assume another security-related position in the Arroyo administration cabinet. The Ambassador thanked the PNP Director for the excellent security his officers have provided the Embassy during his tenure. In turn, Razon expressed his appreciation for U.S.-Philippine intelligence cooperation, which he asserted had greatly improved PNP intelligence capacity across the board, including maritime police charged with interdicting smugglers, illegal foreign fishing vessels, and terrorist elements. Razon went on to say how satisfied the PNP was with the results of the USG-funded Model Police Station program, which he viewed as a significant success in the 10 cities where it has been developed to date. ¶3. (C) Conversation turned to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's July 28 State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Quezon City, which was marked by traditional protests staged by a broad array of leftist and anti-administration groups. The Ambassador complimented Razon on the professionalism and restraint shown by Philippine police, who refused to be provoked by rowdy demonstrators. Razon responded that although the scale and strident tone of demonstrations had surprised him, the PNP was determined from the outset not to provide media with any images of police clashing with protesters. Continuing with the theme of improvement in PNP human rights training, the Ambassador commented on the impressive work of Task Force Usig, which is dedicated to addressing the problem of extrajudical killings (EJKs). Acknowledging the Ambassador's kind words, Razon stressed that while improvement in EJK statistics was encouraging, "it shouldn't be a question of numbers," because extrajudicial killings at any level were simply unacceptable in a democratic society. ¶4. (C) The Ambassador recalled the efficient and bloodless manner in which PNP Special Weapons and Tactics squads, supported by some 1,500 loyal soldiers and marines, had suppressed the November 29, 2007, coup attempt by military officers at the Peninsula Hotel, in Manila's upscale Makati business district. (Military officers on trial for the July 2003 "Oakwood Mutiny" walked out of court and marched to the luxurious Peninsula, where they fired on police forces for several hours prior to surrendering to authorities. See reftel.) Razon responded that the rebellion, which had been staged to appear spontaneous, had in fact obviously been planned long in advance, as evidenced by mutineers' proactive deployment of snipers to strategic locations. The PNP Director bemoaned how, in this instance, the PNP had been caught flat-footed with regard to intelligence information beforehand, noting that even reporters had checked into the hotel and set up their cameras in expectation of the event. Recalling how coup-attempt leaders had capitulated soon after a PNP armored vehicle -- invulnerable to mutineer snipers -- crashed through the hotel's doors and drove into the lobby, Razon expressed relief that the uprising had been handled quickly before the situation could spin out of control. ¶5. (C) Turning to the subject of recently-renewed peace negotiations between the government and MILF separatists, Razon thanked the Ambassador for what the U.S. has done in Mindanao in support of the peace process. Director Razon went on to say that the PNP stood ready to provide adequate security for elections scheduled for August 11 in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Razon reflected MANILA 00001837 002 OF 002 on how, when he was deployed to Jolo Island on his first assignment, government forces could hardly travel outside Jolo City. The situation now was much improved, but security of Jolo still posed a problem. Razon lamented the way in which police became unavoidably ensnared in feuds among clan chiefs and warlords who still exercised control in many areas, and he postulated that more frequent rotation of officers assigned to Jolo might help address the problem. ¶6. (C) Looking ahead, Razon asserted that the PNP needed at least 45,000 additional officers nationwide, and that the shortage of well-trained police in Jolo and elsewhere in the southern Philippines would be particularly significant in the future. He outlined stopgap measures being undertaken to address the problem in the short term. Police officers are being withdrawn from clerical jobs, and Razon is studying the possibility of contracting security for the PNP's Camp Crame headquarters to a private company. Razon said that he was even considering dissolving PNP musical bands in order to mobilize their members to the field. The PNP chief underscored how USG-provided police training would be crucial to achieving PNP goals in heretofore conflict-affected areas of the southern Philippines, and opined that police-military cooperation would likewise be key to continued progress. ¶7. (C) COMMENT: A key figure in the Arroyo administration, General Razon has been a close and trusted interlocutor to the Embassy. Embassy contacts in Arroyo's inner circle speculate that after stepping down as PNP chief, Razon may assume duties as head of the government's National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA),a position for which he would appear to be eminently well-qualified. We look forward to continuing to work with Razon as the peace process moves ahead, terrorist elements are marginalized, and civilian authorities assume many public-security responsibilities that until now have often fallen on military personnel. END COMMENT. KENNEY