VZCZCXRO6718
OO RUEHCHI RUEHCN RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #0885/01 1050753
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 140753Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0364
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 000885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PTER RP
SUBJECT: LAYING GROUNDWORK FOR SUCCESSFUL MERCY DEPLOYMENT 
IN COTABATO 
 
REF: A. MANILA 141 
     ¶B. 06 MANILA 4656 
 
 ¶1.  (U) Summary:  During an April 9 visit to Cotabato City, 
in the southern Philippines, the DCM, Mercy U.S. Navy 
Commander Speight, DATT, and D/PolCouns consulted with senior 
officials from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao 
(ARMM), Cotabato City, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), 
and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) regarding the 
upcoming visit of the USNS Mercy.  The DCM highlighted the 
importance of the Mercy visit to the U.S.-Philippine 
partnership; the Mercy's humanitarian mission to provide 
medical care to tens of thousands of Filipinos; Mercy 
personnel's intention to train and learn from hundreds of 
Philippine doctors and other medical personnel; and the 
Mercy's overarching goal to help bring peace and prosperity 
to this conflict-affected area.  Officials were grateful for 
and focused on the Mercy deployment.  They appreciated the 
opportunity to share their thoughts, as well as to share 
ownership and credit, for a successful Mercy Mission, 
including with local media.  End Summary. 
 
Bringing the Message to the Patients 
------------------------------------ 
¶2.  (U) In meetings with government and local officials in 
Cotabato City in the southern Philippines April 9, the DCM 
laid the groundwork for a smooth USNS Mercy visit May 29 - 
June 14.  He emphasized that the Mercy visit reflected the 
strong historical friendship between our respective countries 
and the importance of partnerships, not only with Philippine 
national and local government officials, but also with NGOs 
and community organizations.  The DCM underscored the 
humanitarian nature of the mission and its goal of reaching 
tens of thousands of poor Filipinos with medical care.  The 
DCM pointed out that the effect of the Mercy mission would 
long outlast the visit, as hundreds of Filipino doctors and 
other medical personnel would receive needed hands-on 
training.  The DCM expressed the hope that the Mercy visit 
would play a positive role in helping bring peace and 
prosperity to this conflict-affected area.  Finally, the DCM 
expressed appreciation for the tremendous amount of work 
involved from local officials and from the Armed Forces of 
the Philippines.  U.S. Navy Commander Robert Speight, advance 
team leader for the Mercy visit who accompanied the DCM, 
provided details of the deployment. 
 
"A Great Thing for the People" 
------------------------------ 
¶3.  (SBU) Ghazali Jaafar, Vice-Chairman of the Moro Islamic 
Liberation Front (MILF), was enthusiastic, showing keen 
interest and expressing "heartfelt" gratitude for the Mercy 
mission.  As if to underscore the need for the DCM's outreach 
visit, Jaafar lamented that some uninformed people in the 
hinterlands believed U.S.-provided medicine was "poisonous," 
and he eagerly agreed to convey the humanitarian nature of 
the mission to constituents.  "This is a great thing for the 
people," he said.  He was thoroughly engaged in details and 
asked numerous questions about project coordination, Mercy 
capabilities, and site selection, and even suggested that 
security at one particular site could be problematic. 
(Planners subsequently removed the site from further 
consideration.)  Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema, whose 
recent election as Chairman of the Moro National Liberation 
Front (MNLF) has been controversial, was equally appreciative 
and engaged in details.  Noting that the elections in the 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were scheduled 
for August, he expressed hope that the Mercy visit would not 
be used by some officials for political gain. 
 
"You Listened to Us" 
-------------------- 
¶4.  (U) During a February 20, 2008, meeting at the U.S. 
Embassy, Governor Zaldy Ampatuan and other senior officials 
from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had stressed 
the need for U.S. officials to consult locally prior to 
undertaking major exercises.  Noting that the DCM's visit was 
exactly the kind of consultation they had requested, they 
offered their unconditional assistance in "getting the 
message out" and in any other way necessary.  They also noted 
with some delight that during the 2006 Mercy visit to the 
Philippines, they had traveled to Manila to request that the 
Mercy visit include their region (ref B).  Said ARMM Attorney 
General Frances Guiani, "You listened to us, and the Mercy is 
coming to our region." 
 
 
MANILA 00000885  002 OF 002 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
¶5.  (SBU) Much coordination and planning had already been 
done at working levels by personnel from Mercy, JSOTF-P, 
JUSMAG, USAID, and State.  The DCM's visit and visible 
consultations with senior local leaders allowed them to share 
ownership and credit for the upcoming Mercy deployment. 
Local leaders began speaking to the media during the DCM's 
visit.  We believe this augurs very well for a successful 
media campaign and deployment. 
KENNEY