VZCZCXRO4067
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #3479/01 2300854
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 180854Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2568
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OSD/ISA/AP// IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003479 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR H, EAP, AND EAP/MTS 
USPACOM FOR FPA HUSO 
OSD/ISA/AP (LAWLESS/TOOLAN/BAILEY) 
JS/J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/CLEMMONS) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL OREP PTER MCAP MOPS MARR RP
SUBJECT: SENATOR INOUYE SUPPORTS PHILIPPINE 
COUNTERTERRORISM MODEL, DEFENSE REFORM; VISITS ZAMBOANGA 
 
REF: MANILA 3450 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Senator Inouye stressed publicly and 
privately his admiration and support for the Philippine-US 
approach to counterterrorism and defense reform during his 
August 11-15 visit to the Philippines.  Inouye enthused at 
the "Philippine model," which extends a "hand of friendship" 
to local populaces afflicted by terrorism through significant 
humanitarian, development, and civil-military assistance, 
while strengthening the "iron fist" of military/police 
capabilities to combat terrorists.  He praised Secretary of 
Defense Cruz for his personal leadership of defense reform 
that is changing the culture of the Philippine military and 
enhancing its capabilities.  Inouye marveled at his 
enthusiastic reception by Muslims and Christians alike during 
a USAID turnover of solar electricity units to 185 villages 
in Muslim Mindanao, providing electricity for the first time 
to some 5,000 families, and praised USAID's success at 
providing livelihood skills to some 28,000 former Moro 
National Liberation Front fighters.  He recounted the 
extraordinary joint effort he witnessed by the US Joint 
Special Operations Task Force-Philippines, USAID, and 
Philippine civil and military officials to rid Mindanao of 
terrorists.  Given Senator Inouye's extensive experience in 
the Philippines, his comments had significant impact on 
President Arroyo and her cabinet, leadership of the House and 
Senate, and the public at large.  Senator Inouye's dinner 
with President Arroyo and other aspects of his visit are 
reported spetels.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During his one-day trip to Zamboanga August 12, 
Senator Inouye was briefed on US Joint Special Operations 
Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P) support for ongoing Southern 
Command operations on the island of Jolo.  He later 
participated in a USAID ceremony turning over solar 
electricity generation units to 185 villages serving 5,000 
families in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). 
Senator Inouye was impressed by how JSOTF-P's close working 
relationship with USAID and partnership with Philippine 
counterparts was helping to address the underlying conditions 
of terrorism through short-term civil-military operations 
involving medical, dental engineering projects, and 
longer-term infrastructure; renewable energy; health; 
education; and small enterprise development.  Senator Inouye 
was particularly impressed that the governor of Basilan (a 
former Abu Sayyaf Group member) now carefully guards the 
island's security so as not to endanger the improved economic 
environment, and took admiring note of how USAID's "Arms to 
Farms" program had reintegrated 28,000 former Moro National 
Liberation Front fighters back into productive society.  The 
moving ceremony of USAID's Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid 
Renewable Energy Program ("AMORE") included senior ARMM 
representatives, local government authorities, community 
organizations, children, the Governor of the island of 
Tawi-Tawi, and the GRP Chairman of the National Anti-Poverty 
Commission. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Senator Inouye said he was deeply impressed by the 
"Philippine" model of combating terrorism and progress on 
defense reform, and returned to these themes throughout his 
visit in meetings with President Arroyo, Senate President 
Villar, House Speaker de Venecia, and other senior officials, 
as well in public comments to the press.   Describing the 
joint US-Philippine civil-military counterterrorism efforts 
he had observed in Mindanao, Senator Inouye noted the 
effusive welcome he had received from Muslim youth.  He said 
the sight of Muslims and Christians, and Filipinos and 
Americans united in an effort to bring peace to Mindanao 
filled him with hope and optimism for a secure and prosperous 
future.   Given the enormous admiration for Senator Inouye in 
the Philippines, his comments had significant impact on 
President Arroyo and her cabinet, leadership of the House and 
Senate, and the public at large. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) In his August 14 meeting with Secretary Cruz, 
Senator Inouye said he was struck by the close working 
relationship between US and Philippine troops in Zamboanga. 
He stated that the combination of "hard and soft power" 
appeared to work, adding that this "positive way" of 
combating terrorism could serve as a model for 
counterterrorism efforts elsewhere.  Cruz agreed on the 
effectiveness of the approach, noting that the "Philippine 
model" of civil-military operations had helped change the 
 
MANILA 00003479  002 OF 002 
 
 
attitude of the Muslim population toward US service members 
from hostility to warmth. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Complimenting Secretary Cruz on his efforts to 
transform the Philippine military and defense establishment, 
Senator Inouye said he was extremely impressed by the 
progress the Armed Forces of the Philippines had made, and 
linked progress on reform to improvements in fighting 
terrorism.  Senator Inouye stated that the Philippines would 
find that other countries stood ready to help as it pursued 
reform. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) An AFP briefing hit the PDR's highlights and cited 
successes in its 10 key areas. 
 
-- Multi-year Defense Planning: The rationalized and unified 
multi-year defense budget is currently in its second cycle 
and serving as a model for other government agencies. 
 
-- Operations/Intelligence/Training: Joint doctrine 
development is now underway and a 10-year Philippine 
Intelligence Reform program has just been approved. 
 
-- Logistics Capacity: Marked improvements have been achieved 
in operational readiness rates and inventory controls, 
allowing for better sustainment of units in field. 
 
-- Professional Development: The concept of train-the-trainer 
has been embedded into all training programs.  There is 
special focus on professional military, enlisted, and staff 
development. 
 
-- Personnel Management: The AFP has adopted a whole cycle 
approach to managing its personnel from recruitment to 
retirement, with special emphasis on morale and welfare and 
law and order. 
 
-- Multi-year Capability Upgrade Plan (CUP):  Broken into two 
tranches, this 18-year plan focuses first on internal 
security/counterterrorism and then on external defense.  With 
a budget of 30 billion pesos (roughly equivalent to $585 
million) for the first six years, the CUP will upgrade the 
AFP's command and control, mobility, and firepower, while 
also improving training through the Battalions of Excellence 
(BOE) program.  The non-commissioned officer corps will be 
the key element to implementing BOE. 
 
-- Financial Controls:  An internal audit system will act to 
check fraud and corruption. 
 
-- Defense Acquisition: The newly created Undersecretary for 
Defense Acquisition will oversee the establishment of a cadre 
of acquisition specialists, held to high standards of 
professionalism, accountability, and transparency. 
 
-- Strategic Communication: A new cadre of trained 
professionals will help get the right message out to the 
public. 
 
-- Information Management: A modern information technology 
backbone will provide support for and help implement PDR. 
 
A draft National Defense Act now under consideration by the 
Philippine Congress would institutionalize PDR policies and 
principles and help make transformation irreversible. 
 
 
¶6.  (U) Senator Inouye did not have the opportunity to clear 
on this telegram. 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
Jones