Most law enforcement assistance to the Philippines provided by the State Department’s Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program and its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), as well as by the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (JIATF-West), is in the form of training. The USG provides some equipment and construction-related assistance, but no direct transfer of funds.
Anti-Terrorism Assistance (ATA): ATA assistance totaled $3.7 million for FY 2006. Over 90% of the funds were utilized for training programs, mostly for members of the Philippine National Police (PNP). ATA equipment transfers in FY 2006 included $210,000 for Post-Blast Investigation kits and training materials. In addition, the USG donated over $191,000 in computer systems for Cyber Forensic Upgrades to the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation.
International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement (INCLE): Under a program launched in 2006, a U.S.-funded Senior Law Enforcement Advisor and his staff are providing assistance to the PNP’s Tranformational Program to devise and implement reforms that will make the PNP a more transparent, modern, and effective institution, including cooperation with PNP’s new Task Force Usig to investigate allegations of unlawful and extrajudicial killings.
Joint Inter-Agency Task Force (JIATF-West), US Pacific Command: JIATF-West support for Philippine counter-narcotics efforts in FY 2006 included training in ground and maritime interdiction, consisting of eight training exercises valued at over $1 million. In addition, JIATF-West provided $250,000 in FY 2006 funding for training-related construction projects at San Fernando, La Union, built under USG supervision. In FY 2006, JIATF-West also provided approximately $850,000 for intelligence fusion centers to collect raw intelligence on drug smuggling and other regional maritime threats at the source.
Outlook for FY 2007
ATA funding for FY 2007 is $4.1 million. These funds will be used for 20 training programs for approximately 600 students. The USG will also provide $150,000 for a Rapid Response Trailer to the PNP.
INCLE funding for FY 2007 is $1.6 million. These funds will be used to assist the PNP with the development of model police stations that can be replicated around the country. In addition to a model police station project, other courses of instruction will be offered as specific needs are identified
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assists the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in a maritime drug intelligence project to build a network of intelligence fusion centers. The primary Maritime Drug Enforcement Coordinating Center (MDECC) has been constructed at PDEA HQS in Quezon City and is staffed by a group of civilian and military agencies. Two Maritime Intelligence Coordination Centers (MICCs) were constructed at Poro Point Naval Station in the northern Philippines, and at HQS Naval Forces Station western Mindanao, Zamboanga in the south, to be followed later in 2007 by Puerto Princesa, Palawan in the far west. Staffing agencies for the MICCs is the same as in Quezon City, but the Philippine Navy has a greater role.
