STUDY WARNS OF SOVIET MOVES IN PHILIPPINES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87M01152R000901140001-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 3, 2009
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 1, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2OO9/11/03 : CIA-RDP87MO1152ROO0901140001-1
ARflCLE APr K 1 November 1985
Gtq PAGE
Study Warns of Soviet Moves in Philippines
By RILL KELLER
$pow a Tin Ilan- Yadt 11-M
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31-'The Soviet
Union has begun p081tg itself to Of-
fer support to Communist
operating in the Pbilippines,Senate So?
to a
sect ocS. foe9
aide, The urded according that while the growing
Now &*a *.my remains a
ndigsnOus rebellion. feeding
tkvdddp ro-F E.
Marcos. of
growwnm~ may
force its leader: to look to outside
powers for arms and supplies-
Tbe rreeppoortrt says that the Soviet Union
has positioned itself to provide such aid
by Snead- enlarging its embassy in
Manna Ind making indirect contacts
with thel insurgents through Filipino
the
matic 1tef~s, democaacy in
phippittes would collapse in two to
three years, under the combined pres-
sures of military insurgency, economic
decline and political unrest. It said the
ill health of Mr. Marcos could bring
about domestic chaos even sooner.
The study, a rare public report from
a comn*tee that normally keeps all of
its activities secret, is the latest effort
in a growing campaign .by American
officials 11 to raise public concern about
the Philippines and to press home to
Mr. Marcos the need for reforms. The
United States has two major military
bases in the Philippines, and considers
the Philippines a critical strategic out-
post-
or Pentagon and State Depart-
ment officials told another Senate com-
mittee Wednesday that, unless major
reforms were enacted, within three tot
five years the insurgents would achieve.
a military stalemate, meaning a wide.
spread civil war that neither de could
and quickly.
Dave Durenberger, the
Mitmssata Republican who beads the
Senate Intelligence Committee, said
that unless the Philippines Govern-
meat underwa t major changes in two
to three years, "democracy is
doomed.99
We just dQfa't agre6 that three to
five years is realistic," Mr. Duuenbet-
~R. saN in an interview "Theincoammittee is saying that
the Philipp has, show a two Year
window of opportunity in which to In-
.Sure a democratic leadership in the
country thsr than some kind of an
anafthical, potentially Marxist-ori-
ented leadership."
He added: "I think, and this is just
Dave Durenberger speaking, that we
may even be overly optimistic by say-
dim years-1p
ag wo Neto w People's Army, according
to members of Congress and Reagan
Administration officials, so far ap-
pears to have avoided any formal rela-
tionship with outside powers. Accord-
ins to these officials, the insurgents
have relied primarily on "taxes" ex-
torted from businessmen in the Philip-
pines to buy weapons and supplies on
the Philippine black market.
? The senate report indicates the
rebels lrve been fighting in recent
months in battalion-sized units of ZOO to
300 men, indicating an increasing de.
gree of organization and sophistication.
Mr. Durenberger said the situation
was so grim that President Reagan
should be preparing to adopt "a demo-
cratic alternative" in Manila in the
event that the Marcos Government be-
gins to collapse.
"At some point in time he is going to
have to grab a democratic alternative
or face having no alternative but the
New People's Army," he said.
Intelligence committee aides had
ease
were at
or reasons a were ?
~a , co ee aide s-
closea some details of etTi reports Pr
or
STAT
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2009/11/03: CIA-RDP87MO1152ROO0901140001-1