US embassy cable - 05MANILA4831

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 004831 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, G/TIP, EAP/RSP, INL, DRL/IL, 
DRL/CRA 
DEPARTMENT PLEASE PASS USAID FOR ANE/TS - L. SAULS 
LABOR FOR ILAB 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, KWMN, ELAB, KCRM, ECON, SMIG, RP 
SUBJECT: MISSION PRESSES GRP FOR EXPEDITIOUS PROGRESS ON 
TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS (TIP) 
 
REF: A. STATE 179822 
 
B. MANILA 3500 
C. MANILA 3011 
D. MANILA 2757 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified -- 
Please handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (SBU) Summary:  Mission recently held several meetings 
with high-level GRP officials working to combat human 
trafficking to discuss problem areas identified in the 2004 
TIP Report.  We stressed the seriousness of the problem 
areas -- most particularly the lack of convictions of 
traffickers -- that led to the Tier 2 Watch List re- 
designation for the GRP.  We also recommended key steps the 
GRP should take now for progress on TIP based on guidance in 
the Tier 2 Watch List Action Plan (ref A).  GRP officials 
were responsive to the recommendations and promised remedial 
action to address the problem areas identified.  Per 
Mission's TIP Working Group Meeting, we will continue to 
press the need for expeditious progress in meetings with GRP 
officials and NGOs planned in the next several weeks.  End 
Summary. 
 
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Mission Presses Points with GRP Officials 
----------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (U) Mission recently held several meetings with high- 
level GRP officials involved in anti-trafficking in persons 
efforts.  We used the meetings to underscore the seriousness 
of the trafficking problem and to propose concrete actions 
to address key concerns that led to the Philippines' Tier 2 
Watch List rating in 2004.  On October 1, poloff had a frank 
discussion with Department of Justice Prosecutor Robert 
Larga, head of the Secretariat of the Inter-Agency Council 
Against Trafficking (IACAT), and Severino Gana Jr., Chairman 
of the GRP's Task Force regarding Anti-Trafficking, on the 
current state of TIP prosecutions in the Philippines. 
Poloff conveyed deep concern over the lack of convictions 
under R.A. 9208, the Anti-Trafficking Law passed in 2003, 
despite the fact that several alleged traffickers have been 
arrested and several cases have been pending for long 
periods.  Poloff noted reports that long delays in court 
cases were leading to opportunities for defendants and their 
associates to bribe witnesses to recant their testimony. 
There are also reports that threats are used. 
 
4.  (U) Larga and Gana acknowledged the seriousness of the 
situation, including the need to allocate additional 
government resources to prosecutions, and welcomed the 
suggested actions poloff delivered in a non-paper.  (Note: 
See ref A for specific non-paper requests, which included 
creating a more effective witness protection program; 
training police, judges, and public officials; and devoting 
additional law enforcement resources to fighting 
trafficking.  End Note.)  They promised to share the points 
within the DoJ and with other IACAT representatives and to 
report back by November on concrete steps the GRP is taking 
to address the USG's concerns.  Poloff later reinforced the 
points in a meeting with Chief State Prosecutor Jovencito 
Zunio on October 6.  Zunio said he welcomed ways to work 
with the USG on this issue. 
 
5.  (U) Additionally, we delivered ref A talking points to 
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary 
Ariel Abadilla on October 3, noting areas in which the DFA 
could address the problem of trafficking, such as devoting 
increased resources to protecting overseas Filipino workers 
and cooperating with destination countries on repatriations. 
Mission plans to hold additional high-level meetings with 
GRP officials in the coming weeks as we continue to push for 
stronger Philippine government action in combating TIP. 
 
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TIP Working Group Works to Implement Action Plan 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
6.  (U) On October 4, Mission's Inter-Agency TIP Working 
Group convened to review the USG's Tier 2 Watch List Action 
Plan for the Philippines.  We discussed the best way to 
continue to execute the plan through the rest of the year. 
Participants from across the Mission identified key contacts 
throughout the GRP and NGO community to work with in 
spurring concrete action to combat both internal and 
external trafficking.  A visiting USAID Management 
Specialist based in Washington joined the meeting, sharing 
practical ideas on how to engage the host government. 
Mission will continue to move forward with the Action Plan 
and to monitor closely the GRP's response. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (SBU) Now in its second year on the Tier 2 Watch List, 
the Philippines needs to show improvement on TIP or risk 
falling to Tier 3.  We have emphatically made this point to 
high-level GRP officials who appear to understand the 
gravity of the situation.  Due to resource constraints and 
long-standing problems with the judiciary, implementation of 
anti-TIP programs remains a serious problem for the GRP, 
however.  The ongoing political turbulence also causes 
officials to lose focus on substantive objectives.  Mission 
will continue to follow up at all levels within the GRP and 
the NGO community to reinforce the message that the USG is 
watching TIP closely and expects concrete improvements, 
especially in the area of prosecutions and convictions.