DEPARTMENT CLEARANCE FOR PHILIPPINES LEAHY VETTING REQUEST -

UNCLAS STATE 124569 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PINR PREL PTER KCRM SNAR MARR RP SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT CLEARANCE FOR PHILIPPINES LEAHY VETTING REQUEST - JIATF-WEST LEATHER PISTON 09-1 REF: MANILA 2548 ¶1. (SBU) The Department of State reviewed its files and found that, as of this date, it possesses no credible information of gross violations of human rights for the units and commanders identified below. These units and commanders are candidates for participation in the JIATF-West Leather Piston 09-1 program that starts January 19, 2009 and ends February 27, 2009 in La Union, Philippines. ¶2. (U) Units and Commanders: Unit: 1st Regional Maritime Office, Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group Commander: PSSUPT Samuel Sylim, DOB: March 20, 1961 POB: Philippines Unit: Naval Special Operations Unit 2 Commander: CDR Carlos Y. Garcia, DOB: October 22, 1965 POB: Tarlac, Philippines Unit: Philippine Coast Guard Group, Northern Luzon Commander: CAPT Athelo L. Ybanez, DOB: March 29, 1963 POB: Cebu, Philippines Unit: PNP, Region 1 Commander: PCSUPT Luizo C. Ticman, DOB: October 10, 1951 POB: Manila, Philippines Unit: Bureau of Customs, Region 1 Anti-Terrorism Task Force Commander: LTCOL Angelito Santiago, DOB: June 6, 1948 POB: Manila, Philippines Unit: National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Illegal Task Force Commander: Roel S. Bolivar, DOB: May 4, 1962 POB: Palawan, Philippines Unit: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Region 1 Commander: PSUPT Robert Opena, DOB: June 25, 1957 POB: Bataan, Philippines ¶3. (U) Post may provide the following statement to authorized parties: Embassy verifies that the Department of State possesses no credible information of gross violations of human rights by the units and commanders identified in paragraph 2 above, as of this date. Post may cite this cable in response. ¶4. (U) If, in the future, post becomes aware of possible human rights violations by the units and commanders listed above, post should inform the Department and not proceed with training. ¶5. (U) POC for this action is Jameson DeBose: -Email: DeBoseJL@state.gov -Phone: 202-647-2989 RICE