US embassy cable - 05MANILA2757

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 002757 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/PMBS, EAP/P, G/TIP, EAP/RSP, INL, 
DRL/IL, DRL/CRA 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USAID FOR ANE/TS - SAULS 
LABOR FOR ILAB 
BANGKOK PLEASE PASS TO G/TIP SR. COORDINATOR MARK TAYLOR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KWMN, ELAB, PHUM, RP 
SUBJECT: TIP: PHILIPPINE REACTION TO THE RELEASE OF THE 
ANNUAL REPORT 
 
REF: A. STATE 89010 
 
     B. MANILA 2599 
     C. MANILA 2193 
 
1.  (U) This cable is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (SBU) Summary:  Local reaction to the Philippine 
narrative of the 2005 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report has 
been mixed, though basically positive.  The media response -- 
aided by Mission's extensive outreach efforts -- has been 
straightforward and informative.  Philippine government 
reaction has generally been constructive, though there was 
some disappointment that the Philippines remained on the Tier 
Two Watch List.  On June 5, in direct response to the report, 
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced the creation of a 
new interagency group to fight TIP.  Anti-TIP NGOs have 
roundly praised the report.  Mission continues to drive home 
the points made in the report and to encourage concrete 
action by the GRP.  End Summary. 
 
Media Reaction 
-------------- 
 
3.  (U) Local reaction to the Philippine narrative of the 
2005 TIP Report has been mixed, though basically positive. 
The media response -- aided by Mission's extensive outreach 
efforts -- has been straightforward and informative.  On June 
4, all major television networks carried news of the release 
of the report in Washington during their evening news 
broadcasts, and there was also some coverage June 5 in the 
print media.  On June 6, Mission showed a videotape of the 
Department's press event hosted by the Secretary and 
Ambassador Miller.  Acting Polcouns then gave a presentation 
on the Philippine chapter of the report and answered 
journalists' questions.  Media coverage of the event 
highlighted the key USG point that convictions for TIP crimes 
are necessary, with one major daily noting that none of the 
reporting period's 348 convictions in the EAP area were in 
the Philippines.  On June 8, Mission's "Virtual Consulate 
Davao" hosted a live chat with Acting Polcouns to discuss the 
report.  There was significant participation in the chat, 
including from Mindanao.  Undersecretary of Social Welfare 
and Development Lourdes Balanon, a key GRP official involved 
in trafficking issues, joined the chat and highlighted the 
government's commitment to fight TIP.  Mission also posted 
the Philippine narrative of the report on its web site, as 
well as a link to the entire report.  The Philippine 
narrative has also been placed on Embassy Manila's SIPRNET 
site. 
 
4.  (U) A sampling of some press reaction follows: 
 
-- The Manila Times editorialized that "the report is an 
eye-opener."  The editorial asked readers if they can live 
with "the notoriety of being labeled a country that abets 
human trafficking" and stated that there is "no excuse for 
the government not to take trafficking head-on." 
 
-- The Philippine Star reported that Tier ranking standards 
are applied equally to every country. 
 
-- The Philippine Daily Inquirer emphasized that the GRP is 
"in danger of losing US aid" if further steps are not taken 
against trafficking. 
 
-- "What's On and Expat," a local weekly for expatriates with 
a large circulation, covered the report with the front-page 
headline:  "Human Trafficking:  Still a Major Problem," 
giving prominent, factual coverage to remarks by the 
Secretary and Ambassador Miller at the June 3 press event. 
 
SIPDIS 
 
GRP Reaction 
------------ 
 
5.  (SBU) Philippine government reaction has generally been 
positive.  (Note:  See Ref B message reporting on the 
official delivery of the Philippine narrative to the 
Department of Foreign Affairs.)  On June 5, in direct 
reaction to the report, President Arroyo announced that the 
GRP would form a new interagency group to fight TIP, which 
would be chaired by Merceditas "Mercy" Gutierrez, a close 
adviser to Arroyo and her legal counsel.  The same day Arroyo 
also ordered the Bureau of Immigration to intensify its 
efforts against trafficking syndicates.  When asked about the 
report, Presidential Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye remarked 
that the GRP "is doing everything possible to arrest and 
prosecute those involved" in trafficking and that the issue 
was "one of the concerns of the government."  Secretary of 
Justice Raul Gonzalez, obviously upset that the Philippines 
remained on the Tier Two Watch List, reacted on a down note, 
commenting in reference to the report:  "These are sweeping 
statements if not an outright criticism of our judicial 
system."  Gonzalez attempted to justify the slowness of the 
judiciary system by referring to the GRP's commitment to due 
process. 
 
6.  (SBU) A sampling of other official reaction follows: 
 
-- Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto Romulo told the press 
that the GRP has plans to expedite prosecutions by setting up 
special TIP courts. 
 
-- Executive Director of the National Commission on the Role 
of Filipino Women Emmeline Verzosa told poloff that the GRP 
and the USG are "of one mind" on TIP. 
 
-- Chairman of the Presidential Anti-Illegal Recruitment Task 
Force Reynaldo Jaylo told the press that the Philippines has 
a slow judicial system, but must do more to halt trafficking. 
 He added that prosecuting and convicting traffickers is "not 
as easy as shooting (them) down...and ending what they do for 
good." 
 
-- On June 15, Chairman of the GRP-owned Philippine Amusement 
and Gaming Corporation and presidential confidant Efraim C. 
Genuino met with poloff at his (Genuino's) request.  He used 
the meeting to underscore that the GRP plans to work closely 
with the Japanese government and the USG to end trafficking 
of Filipino "entertainers" overseas. 
 
NGO Reaction 
------------ 
 
7.  (U)  Key NGOs welcomed the report.  Some reaction 
follows: 
 
-- International Justice Mission Acting Executive Director 
Sam Inocencio told poloff that he agreed that the main 
problem for the Philippines in terms of TIP was its slow 
judiciary.  He pointed out to poloff that the lack of a 
national TIP database remained a major obstacle. 
 
-- Visayan Forum Foundation (VFF) President Maria Cecilia 
Flores-Oebanda expressed gratitude for the report's inclusion 
of her NGO as an example of public-private partnerships in 
the report, and she noted to poloff that VFF would like to 
expand its work. 
 
-- Development Action for Women Network Executive Director 
Carmelita Nuqui agreed with the report's key points, stating 
in a meeting with poloff that the GRP "has to exert more 
effort to combat trafficking." 
 
-- Head of the National Office of Mass Media and longtime 
Amcit anti-TIP activist Father James Reuter, Jr. hailed the 
report's accuracy in a congratulatory note to poloff, calling 
it "excellent." 
 
-- Friend of the Overseas Contract Workers, an advocacy group 
sometimes critical of the USG, wrote to poloff that the 
report "depicts an objective picture." 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8.  (SBU) The TIP report carries a great deal of credibility 
and weight in the Philippines, and the GRP was clearly 
disappointed that the Philippines remained on the Tier Two 
Watch List.  The government's reaction, however, was 
basically constructive.  It is not exactly clear how the new 
interagency group created by Malacanang will fit in with all 
the other GRP offices and groups working on the issue, 
however.  We do not have any further information regarding 
the Foreign Secretary's mention of the possible creation of 
special TIP courts.  Mission will continue to drive home the 
points made in the report and encourage concrete action by 
the GRP.  Upcoming events include the June 18-21 visit of 
G/TIP Senior Coordinator Mark Taylor and a PAS-sponsored 
"Achieving Trafficking Convictions" conference for law 
enforcement officials, prosecutors and judges that is slated 
to be held in June or July (Ref C). 
 
 
MUSSOMELI