Just an interesting article written by a Professor of the University of the Philippines (UP) on the history of operations of the Intelligence Services of the United States (US) in the Philippines, particularly the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Based on these revelations, not only has US Intelligence Services operated in the Philippines for such a long time, but are also still operating up to now with impunity.
These operations are aimed to protect American interests not only in the Philippines but also in the nearby regions. Among the highlights of the article are:
* That Manila has been the Main Station or Regional Headquarters of the CIA in South East Asia (SEA) for decades due to the Philippines’ strong ties with the US.
* In the mid-1950s, the US Bases in the Philippines served as Operational Headquarters for the CIA’s "Operation Brotherhood" headed by Col. Edward Lansdale and Lucien Conen which operated in Indochina. The operation also involved several Human Intelligence Assets from the Philippines who were recruited and trained by the CIA.
* CIA Official Col. Lansdale was even appointed by former President Ramon Magsaysay as his "Military Adviser" and Speechwriter who determined Magsaysay's foreign and
military policies.
* Also in the 1950s, the CIA used Clark Air Base to train, launch and support dissident Indonesian Colonels in a failed attempt to overthrow the Indonesian President Bung Sukarno.
* A CIA-owned Civil Air Transport company also operated from the Philippines to give direct assistance to Indonesian Military Rebel Groups attempting to overthrow Sukarno.
* The Philippines was the center of operations for the Trans-Asiatic Airlines Inc., a CIA outfit operating along the Burma-China border against the People's Republic of China (PROC). Several Filipino Aviators and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) Military Intelligence Service (MIS) were recruited into this airline.
* A Filipino Operative of the CIA posed as the Philippines’ Labor Attache in Burma and reported directly to the American Ambassador to Burma.
* The CIA campaigned hard against the election of Senator Claro M. Recto who was a staunch Nationalist, to the point that they even distributed defective Condoms labeled "Courtesy of Claro M. Recto - the People's Friend."
* General Ralph B. Lovett, a CIA Station Chief in Manila and US Ambassador Admiral Raymond A. Spruance had discussed a plan to assassinate Recto using a vial of poison. A few years later Recto mysteriously died of a Heart Attack even if had not been previously diagnosed with a Heart Ailment. He died in 1960 in Rome after an appointment with two Caucasians in Business Suits.
* Before 1970, a CIA group focusing on operations in China operated from the Subic Naval Base.
* CIA Operative Janine Brookner developed assets in the Philippine Government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the 1960s and the 1970s.
* One of the CIA’s Filipino assets reportedly penetrated President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s inner circle of trusted friends such that in 1972, the CIA was able to get in advance a copy of the Martial Law declaration even before it was announced in public.
* In 1982, the CIA was able to verify from a high-ranking Philippine Immigration Officer the names of two foreign Doctors who visited the Philippines to treat Marcos for Kidney failure, giving the CIA a better picture of Marcos' health problems.
* Edward Snowden, a former CIA Technician turned Whistleblower said in 2013 that the National Security Agency (NSA) collected metadata and content from Mobile Networks from a number of countries including the Philippines using their Surveillance Program called “Mystic”.
* Snowden also said that the Philippines is one of the 90 countries where US Intelligence Units have set up Surveillance Facilities. These Facilities are used to monitor Communications Networks and Phone Calls/Text Messages under the Joint CIA-NSA group called "Special Collection Service". As a result of this, Snowden particularly described the Philippines as a “Major Spy Hub” and “Listening Post” for the US.
* Nicky Hager, an Investigative Journalist from New Zealand claimed in a book that the NSA spies on its allies including the Philippines using another Surveillance Program by the NSA called “Echelon”.
* The US also reportedly had been using its Bases in the Philippines to host the Echelon Surveillance Program but was disrupted when the American Bases were closed down. The US though is reportedly attempting to restore the Echelon system in the Philippines using the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
SOURCE: The CIA in the Philippines: A Brief History
Based on these revelations, not only has US Intelligence Services operated in the Philippines for such a long time, but are also still operating up to now with impunity.
These operations are aimed to protect American interests not only in the Philippines but also in the nearby regions. Among the highlights of the article are:
* That Manila has been the Main Station or Regional Headquarters of the CIA in South East Asia (SEA) for decades due to the Philippines’ strong ties with the US.
* In the mid-1950s, the US Bases in the Philippines served as Operational Headquarters for the CIA’s "Operation Brotherhood" headed by Col. Edward Lansdale and Lucien Conen which operated in Indochina. The operation also involved several Human Intelligence Assets from the Philippines who were recruited and trained by the CIA.
* CIA Official Col. Lansdale was even appointed by former President Ramon Magsaysay as his "Military Adviser" and Speechwriter who determined Magsaysay's foreign and
military policies.
* Also in the 1950s, the CIA used Clark Air Base to train, launch and support dissident Indonesian Colonels in a failed attempt to overthrow the Indonesian President Bung Sukarno.
* A CIA-owned Civil Air Transport company also operated from the Philippines to give direct assistance to Indonesian Military Rebel Groups attempting to overthrow Sukarno.
* The Philippines was the center of operations for the Trans-Asiatic Airlines Inc., a CIA outfit operating along the Burma-China border against the People's Republic of China (PROC). Several Filipino Aviators and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) Military Intelligence Service (MIS) were recruited into this airline.
* A Filipino Operative of the CIA posed as the Philippines’ Labor Attache in Burma and reported directly to the American Ambassador to Burma.
* The CIA campaigned hard against the election of Senator Claro M. Recto who was a staunch Nationalist, to the point that they even distributed defective Condoms labeled "Courtesy of Claro M. Recto - the People's Friend."
* General Ralph B. Lovett, a CIA Station Chief in Manila and US Ambassador Admiral Raymond A. Spruance had discussed a plan to assassinate Recto using a vial of poison. A few years later Recto mysteriously died of a Heart Attack even if had not been previously diagnosed with a Heart Ailment. He died in 1960 in Rome after an appointment with two Caucasians in Business Suits.
* Before 1970, a CIA group focusing on operations in China operated from the Subic Naval Base.
* CIA Operative Janine Brookner developed assets in the Philippine Government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the 1960s and the 1970s.
* One of the CIA’s Filipino assets reportedly penetrated President Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s inner circle of trusted friends such that in 1972, the CIA was able to get in advance a copy of the Martial Law declaration even before it was announced in public.
* In 1982, the CIA was able to verify from a high-ranking Philippine Immigration Officer the names of two foreign Doctors who visited the Philippines to treat Marcos for Kidney failure, giving the CIA a better picture of Marcos' health problems.
* Edward Snowden, a former CIA Technician turned Whistleblower said in 2013 that the National Security Agency (NSA) collected metadata and content from Mobile Networks from a number of countries including the Philippines using their Surveillance Program called “Mystic”.
* Snowden also said that the Philippines is one of the 90 countries where US Intelligence Units have set up Surveillance Facilities. These Facilities are used to monitor Communications Networks and Phone Calls/Text Messages under the Joint CIA-NSA group called "Special Collection Service". As a result of this, Snowden particularly described the Philippines as a “Major Spy Hub” and “Listening Post” for the US.
* Nicky Hager, an Investigative Journalist from New Zealand claimed in a book that the NSA spies on its allies including the Philippines using another Surveillance Program by the NSA called “Echelon”.
* The US also reportedly had been using its Bases in the Philippines to host the Echelon Surveillance Program but was disrupted when the American Bases were closed down. The US though is reportedly attempting to restore the Echelon system in the Philippines using the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
SOURCE: The CIA in the Philippines: A Brief History
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