VZCZCXRO7648
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #2575 2130620
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 010620Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7638
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 002575 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MTS 
USPACOM ALSO FOR J5 
SECDEF/OSD.ISA/AP TOOLAN/REDMAN 
JOINT STAFF J5 (WILKES/ROBINSON/COLEMAN) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/01/2017 
TAGS: PTER MOPS PINS RP
SUBJECT: JOINT COMMITTEE IDENTIFIES FIVE PERPETRATORS OF 
BEHEADINGS; GOVERNMENT DELAYS PUNITIVE ACTION 
 
REF: A. MANILA 2503 
 
     ¶B. MANILA 2474 
     ¶C. MANILA 2428 
     ¶D. MANILA 2369 
     ¶E. MANILA 2358 
     ¶F. MANILA 2344 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie Kenney for 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary.  The Philippine government has adopted a 
more measured approach to bring to justice the perpetrators 
of the beheadings of ten Philippine Marines in Tipo Tipo, 
Basilan.  Philippine officials hope that the visible 
deployment of troops -- rather than use of force -- will be 
sufficient to convince local leaders to turn over five 
identified perpetrators of the beheadings without punitive 
operations against Muslim insurgents.  Ambassador and DCM 
have reached out to both sides, urging them to seek a 
judicial course of action to avert a military confrontation 
that would result in bloodshed and undermine the peace 
process.  It is unclear whether the effort will work, as some 
elements within the government and military appear to be 
pressing for a punitive operation.  President Arroyo has 
delayed military operations until at least August 3 to allow 
the investigation -- as well as the ASEAN Regional Forum 
meetings in Manila -- to continue.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C) During a July 27 command conference at the Armed 
Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Mindanao Command 
Headquarters in Zamboanga City, President Arroyo delayed 
until July 31 punitive action against the perpetrators of the 
beheadings of ten Philippine Marines in Tipo Tipo, Basilan. 
Arroyo granted the three-day reprieve to allow the Joint 
Committee composed of government and Moro Islamic Liberation 
Front (MILF) members to complete their investigation of the 
July 10 incident.  However, on July 31, the government 
announced a further three-day extension (until August 3) to 
enable the Joint Committee to complete its fact-finding 
mission.  According to Presidential Advisor on the Peace 
Process Jesus Dureza, the Joint Committee has identified five 
suspects in the beheadings.  We are currently hearing that 
the military operations will not commence until August 3, at 
the conclusion of the ASEAN Regional Forum meetings. 
 
¶3.  (C) Ambassador and DCM urged Dureza on July 30 to 
preserve the peace process when bringing the perpetrators of 
the beheadings to justice.   Dureza said he was working very 
closely with Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar and local mayors 
to affect the turn over of the four perpetrators identified 
by the Joint Committee.  Such an action, according to Dureza, 
could appease the Philippine Marines, and avert military 
operations against over 130 individuals who were charged by 
the Philippine National Police (PNP) with frustrated murder 
for their alleged role in the July 10 ambush.  Arrest 
warrants for the PNP's suspects were issued July 26 by 
Basilan Regional Trial Court Judge Leo Jay T. Principe. 
 
¶4.  (C) DCM pressed MILF Vice-Chairman for Political Affairs 
Ghazali Jafaar to render MILF assistance in bringing those 
responsible for the beheadings to justice.  Jafaar 
acknowledged the urgency of apprehending the perpetrators 
while expressing his support for the Joint Committee's 
investigation and the preservation of the peace process. 
 
¶5.  (C) Senior government security officials, including 
National Security Advisor Norberto Gonzales and AFP Chief of 
Staff General Hermogenes Esperon, are stressing legal 
processes "to avoid unnecessary action and reaction." 
Esperon said during a news conference that "until such time 
that the results of the investigation come in, there should 
be no punitive action." 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/ 
 
KENNEY