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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 002636 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL RP
SUBJECT: GRP EFFORTS AGAINST EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS 
 
REF: A. MANILA 2383 
     ¶B. MANILA 2096 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:  The GRP has geared up to focus more 
concerted attention on the troubling problem of 
extra-judicial killings, notably of leftist activists, 
journalists, judges, and suspected criminals.  A month-old 
overall task force incorporates two existing subsidiary task 
forces within the Philippine National Police (PNP).  Its data 
reflects the extent of the problem, although human rights 
groups tend to have even higher statistics of deaths. 
Prosecution is ongoing in dozens of cases (including one 
suspect who is a policeman), although there has apparently 
only been one conviction since 2001.  GRP officials are 
looking at new programs to offer rewards, to improve a very 
weak witness protection program, and to provide access to 
databases that authorities can use to track down culprits and 
possibly to receive information from would-be witness who 
wish to remain anonymous.  The Constitutionally-mandated 
Commission on Human Rights is also improving its databases, 
with some past assistance from the USG, and is working to 
invigorate its national system of information gathering. 
Systemic improvements advocated and often supported by the 
USG, including a proposed new Executive Order mandating 
police/prosecutor cooperation from the outset of cases and 
ongoing judicial reform to improve the efficiency of the 
legal system, should also bear fruit in the campaign against 
EKJs just as with regular murder cases and cases involving 
trafficking in persons, intellectual property rights, 
terrorism, etc.  Embassy's Law Enforcement Working Group will 
continue to look for additional programs that could 
contribute to improvements in this system, especially with 
the expected arrival later this summer of an INL-funded USG 
senior law enforcement advisor.  End Summary. 
 
----------- 
Task Forces 
----------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In response to a string of extra-judicial killings 
(EJK), the GRP on May 13 set up "Task Force Usig" ("to 
prosecute") to coordinate efforts within the PNP to 
investigate these cases and to bring the culprits to justice. 
 Under the leadership of PNP Deputy Director General for 
Operations General Avelino I. Razon, Jr., TF Usig also serves 
as an umbrella organization over a two year old "Task Force 
Newsmen" and a new "Task Force Judges, Prosecutors, and 
Lawyers," headed by the Deputy Director of the PNP's Criminal 
Investigation and Detection Group, General Pedro U. Tango. 
On June 19, Pol/C and poloff met with the two Task Force 
commanders and their staffs to convey USG concern about EJKs, 
to seek information about the PNP strategy to ensure justice, 
and to determine if there are additional ways the USG might 
be of assistance.  (Septel will cover the Ambassador's June 
23 meeting with the outgoing PNP chief, General Arturo 
Lomibao.) 
 
¶3.  (U) According to statistics gathered by the Task Forces, 
a total of 140 incidents of EJKs -- 113 against suspected 
leftists ("party list members") and 27 against journalists -- 
have taken place since 2001.  (No statistics were yet 
available about cases involving judges, prosecutors, and 
lawyers.)  There was a sharp peak in killings of leftists in 
2005 -- 46 -- up from 19 in 2004 and only three in 2003, but 
Task Force officials were reluctant to provide an 
explanation.  Their statistics showed that killings of 
newsmen held constant in 2004 and 2005 -- at seven per year 
-- but dropped to two so far in 2006.  Police investigations 
have already led to the filing of 27 court cases for leftist 
killings (while only making three arrests; the others are 
still at large), and 21 cases in journalists' murders (with 
arrests in ten cases, including one policeman).  One case 
involving the murder of a journalist has resulted in a 
conviction   General Razon and General Tango confirmed 
separately that the PNP continues to investigate all angles 
of the remaining cases, while simultaneously reaching out to 
witnesses, to those who are at risk, and to civil society 
groups and the Catholic Church that could potentially provide 
assistance or information.  In an effort to safeguard 
journalists under threat, TF Newsmen also holds regular 
meetings with the National Union of Journalists in the 
Philippines (NUJP) to share information and to educate media 
figures in regards to their safety.  The national Task Forces 
also now have their regional, provincial, and local 
counterparts, at least on paper. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Both Task Force leaders admitted that a major 
difficulty is convincing eyewitnesses to come forward.  The 
PNP is examining new incentives, such as a reward program, 
 
MANILA 00002636  002 OF 003 
 
 
and is also working with the Department of Justice to improve 
to its chronically underfunded witness protection program. 
TF Usig has also now created a new database (including 
details of the cases as well as -- whenever possible -- 
sketches or photos of suspects) that should be available even 
to those in its field offices for the use by investigators 
and local police in tracking down culprits nationwide.  TF 
Usig is also exploring the possibility of allowing anonymous 
tips from eyewitnesses electronically to speed up 
investigations even when witnesses do not wish to appear in 
public. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Some of the investigations have led the PNP to 
conclude that suspected Communist Party of the 
Philippines/New People's Army members were involved in at 
least 15 killings of leftists, while several deaths earlier 
classified as leftist killings likely had no particular party 
list connection.  TF Usig's analysis so far is that there is 
a mixture of reasons for the killings, involving not only 
CPP/NPA but also "suspected military and police personnel" 
and "possible destabilizing forces." 
 
-------------------------------- 
Other Estimates, Latest Killings 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Philippine human rights group Karapatan (itself 
made up of several leftist organizations) puts the number of 
leftist killings at 684 since June 2001, including 96 in 
¶2006.  The NUJP disputes Task Force Newsmen's figure of 27 
incidents, claiming that 44 have been killed.  The Philippine 
Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also has different 
statistics than TF Usig, but its officials have questioned 
whether higher numbers last year in particular may reflect 
better information gathering rather than a genuine surge of 
violence.  Incidents continue:  on June 19, a married couple 
working as part-time radio commentators were gunned down as 
they left a public market in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, 
Mindanao.  On June 20, a former CPP/NPA member -- who had 
since left the CPP/NPA to work for Karapatan -- was gunned 
down near his home in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental.  On June 
22, a lawyer in Metro Manila was shot and killed, along with 
her pastor, by two men as she left her Bible study class, 
although it is far from clear that she was a target as a 
lawyer. 
 
------------------------------ 
The Commission on Human Rights 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (U)  Pol/C and poloff met on June 15 with CHR Chairwoman 
Purificacion Quisumbing to discuss the CHR strategy on EJKs. 
The CHR on May 23 had issued a strongly worded press release 
condemning the killings and demanding accountability, 
regardless of who was responsible (ref b).  Quisumbing 
described a recent visit from TF Usig, seeking to enhance 
cooperation.  The CHR offered access to its broad database, 
which not only compiles information but also enables the CHR 
to communicate more effectively with its many regional and 
provincial offices.  USG assistance contributed to part of 
this upgrade.  In mid-July, the CHR plans to unveil the new 
database at its regional office in Davao City and make it 
available to the public and NGOs wishing to report and/or 
research EJK cases.  Mission is planning to send a 
representative to attend the rollout event. 
 
----------------------- 
Systematic Improvements 
----------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) In addition to the creation of the PNP task forces 
and the on-going CHR improvements and investigations, the GRP 
has taken other steps to address more systemic rule of law 
issues that hamper effective prosecutions and convictions. 
At our urging, the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG) drafted an Executive Order (EO) that would 
mandate cooperation between police and prosecutors from the 
outset of a case; at present, the role of the police ends 
when charges are filed and/or an arrest is made -- the case 
is then considered by the PNP as "solved."  The EO -- which 
DILG Secretary Puno confirmed recently he had sent to 
President Arroyo for signature -- will help ensure that 
police gather the evidence needed by prosecutors for an 
effective trial.  Furthermore, ongoing judicial reform -- 
supported by USAID technical assistance working with the 
Philippine Supreme Court -- has reduced the backlog of cases, 
provided training for prosecutors and judges, and shared best 
practices between U.S. and Philippine judges. 
 
 
MANILA 00002636  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶9.  (U) Comment:  Changing the seeming culture of impunity, 
transforming PNP operational effectiveness, and improving the 
delivery of justice throughout the Philippines are long-term 
challenges that are central to the US Mission's objectives in 
the Philippines.  Resource deficiencies and lack of training 
within the Philippine government remain major constraints; 
overall, there is a sadly low rate of arrests and convictions 
for all types of crimes, including terrorism, trafficking in 
persons, and intellectual property right violations.  The 
Mission's Law Enforcement Working Group will continue to seek 
additional programs that can contribute to improvements in 
this system, especially with the expected arrival later this 
summer of an INL-funded USG senior law enforcement advisor to 
the PNP. 
Kenney