PGMA's Speech during the National Intelligence Summit

PGMA's Speech during the National Intelligence Summit

Heroes Hall, Malacanang (06 March 2002)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ROI, MY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER.

SENATOR JUN MAGSAYSAY; GOVERNOR DOLFO DEL ROSARIO; MAYOR MONCHING GICO;
SECRETARY BERT GONZALEZ; COMMISSIONER ANDREA DOMINGO AND NBI DIRECTOR
WYCOCO REPRESENTING DOJ; UNDERSECRETARY ANDANAR REPRESENTING DILG;
UNDERSECRETARY BRION REPRESENTING DOLE; UNDERSECRETARY CESAR GARCIA OF
NICA; UNDERSECRETARY GACIS REPRESENTING DND; SUMMIT PARTICIPANTS; HONORED
GUESTS;LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

PARATI KONG SINASABI NA ANG PILIPINAS AY TAHANAN NG DAKILANG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO. NGUNIT ITONG MANGGAGAWANG PILIPINO AY MAMUMULAKLAK LAMANG ANG KANYANG KADAKILAAN AT PRODAKTIBIDAD KAPAG MAY KAPAYAPAAN SA KANYANG TAHANANG BAYAN. AT IYUNG KAPAYAPAAN, IYUNG PAGMENTENE NG ATING KAPAYAPAAN, MALAKI ANG KINALAMAN KUNG GAANO KAGALING ANG ATING INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY.

AND SO, THIS IS THE REASON WHY I ASKED ROI GOLEZ TO CONVENE AN INTELLIGENCE
SUMMIT.

IN THE FIELD OF SECURITY, THE FOREMOST ENEMY OF ANY NATION IS SURPRISE. IT
CAN HAPPEN ANYWHERE -- SIPADAN, DOS PALMAS, COTABATO, MANILA. IT CAN
HAPPEN IN BEIRUT OR PARIS, NEW YORK OR WASHINGTON. THE WEAPON INVOLVED
COULD BE A CRUDE BOMB OR A CAR, OR AN ENTIRE PLANE. IT COULD HAPPEN TO THE
POOREST COUNTRY, OR TO THE MOST POWERFUL NATION IN THE WORLD.

SURPRISE IS THE ADVANTAGE OF SMALL, CLANDESTINE CELLS OPERATING BEYOND THE
PRIMARY FOCUS OF INTELLIGENCE NETWORKS. AGAIN AND AGAIN, IT HAS BEEN
PROVEN THAT INTELLIGENCE SYSTEMS, NO MATTER HOW ELABORATE AND
SOPHISTICATED, HAVE LOOPHOLES SOMEWHERE. THESE LOOPHOLES ARE A RESULT OF
EITHER HUMAN OR TECHNICAL FAILURE. THEY ARE SOMEHOW DISCOVERED BY
TERRORIST CELLS THAT GAIN AN ADVANTAGE, WHICH ENABLES THEM TO STRIKE AT
WILL, WITH DEADLY EFFECT.

INTELLIGENCE SIMPLY MEANS INFORMATION -- VITAL INFORMATION THAT IS
COLLECTED, ASSESSED AND DELIVERED IN TIMELY FASHION. TIMELY IS THE KEY
WORD, BECAUSE A MINUTE LATE COULD PROVE FATAL.

ANALYSTS WHO HAVE LOOKED INTO THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS IN THE UNITED STATES
POINT OUT THAT THE SIGNS POINTING TO SUCH AN EVENT WERE EXTANT AT THE TIME.
THE POSSIBLE USE OF AIRCRAFT WAS ALREADY BEING CONSIDERED A LONG TIME
BEFORE THE EVENT. THIS WAS BORNE OUT BY INTELLIGENCE GATHERED FROM
TERRORIST CELLS RIGHT HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES. DEEP INTELLIGENCE FROM
WITHIN AFGHANISTAN ALSO SHOWED THAT SOMETHING BIG WAS BEING HATCHED.
SOMETHING OMINOUS AND FOREBODING WAS IN THE AIR, BUT NO ONE COULD PUT A
FINGER ON IT.

THIS ONLY PROVES THE POINT THAT PIECES OF INTELLIGENCE ARE USELESS IF THEY
EXIST IN ISOLATION. SOMEONE HAS TO FIT THE PIECES TOGETHER, AS IN A JIGSAW
PUZZLE. SOMEONE HAS TO ANALYSE THE PATTERNS TO DISCOVER A DEFINITE FORM IN
THEM. INFORMATION HAS TO BE INTEGRATED TO BE USEFUL AT A STRATEGIC LEVEL.

THE JOB OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING IS DIFFERENT FROM THE JOB OF INTEGRATION.
GATHERING INTELLIGENCE IS LIKE REAPING THE CROP. INTEGRATING IT IS LIKE
SEPARATING THE CHAFF FROM THE GRAIN, AND HARVESTING THE NUTRIENTS FROM IT.
BOTH JOBS REQUIRE DILIGENCE, IMAGINATION, EXCELLENCE AND MOST OF ALL,
COMMITMENT TO A HIGH CAUSE.

THAT IS WHY WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST DEDICATED AND PATRIOTIC PEOPLE IN THE
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES. WE HAVE EMINENT PERSONS FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR
LIKE FORMER DILG SECRETARY RAFFY ALUNAN. YOU, WHO ARE HERE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO WORK TO PUT A FACE TO THE ENEMY, DENY HIM THE ADVANTAGE OF MANEUVER,
PINPOINT WHERE HE LIES AND LEAD OUR FORCES TO DEFEAT HIM.

INTEGRATION IS THE KEY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SUMMIT IS TO PUT OUR MINDS
TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN THINK AS ONE, PLAN AS ONE AND ACT AS ONE AGAINST
THE COMMON ENEMY.

TWO MONTHS AGO, WHEN I ANNOUNCED THAT I WANTED THIS SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE --
THIS WAS AT THE GRADUATION CEREMONIES OF THE PNP ACADEMY IN SILANG, CAVITE
-- I SAID THE BASIC PURPOSE OF INTELLIGENCE IS TO ENHANCE NATIONAL SECURITY
NOT ONLY BY SUPPORTING POLICE AND MILITARY OPERATIONS, BUT BY INFORMING
POLICY MAKERS OF THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE RELEVANT TO EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE.
AT THAT POINT, I ALSO ENUMERATED THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS SUMMIT:
REORGANIZATION; RAPID THREAT ASSESSMENT; DETERMINATION OF INFORMATION
REQUIREMENTS VITAL TO MILITARY, POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPERATIVES,
CYBER SECURITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT; DATA BASE INTEGRATION, HUMAN RESOURCE
DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND COUNTER INTELLIGENCE.

LET ME, HOWEVER, DEFINE THE CHALLENGE IN SIMPLER TERMS. WE ALL KNOW THAT
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION OF INTELLIGENCE VALUE OUT THERE. THE
GOVERNMENT HAS THE MOST ELABORATELY SPREAD NETWORK TO GATHER IT, STRETCHING
FROM THE NATIONAL, REGIONAL, PROVINCIAL, MUNICIPAL AND BARANGAY LEVELS.
THEORETICALLY, WE HAVE EYES AND EARS IN EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY OF THE LAND.
THERE IS NO ORGANIZATION THAT CAN BEAT THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF THE
GOVERNMENT.

BUT SAD TO SAY, WE ARE A SERIOUSLY FRAGMENTED ORGANIZATION WHEN IT COMES TO
INFORMATION SHARING AND MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE A MULTIPLICITY OF DATA BASES.
DEPARTMENTS DO NOT ALWAYS COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER EFFECTIVELY AND
EFFICIENTLY. WORK TENDS TO BE COMPARTMENTALIZED AND CANALIZED WITHIN EACH
DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY. TURF ISSUES ABOUND. THE PREVALENT ATTITUDE IS THAT
I-HAVE-MY-JOB-TO-DO-AND-I-DON'T-CARE-HOW-YOU-DO- YOURS.

GETTING OUR ACT TOGETHER. THIS IS THE BASIC PROBLEM WE HAVE TO FACE, EVEN
BEFORE WE GO INTO THE MORE ESOTERIC ISSUES. WE HAVE TO UNLEARN THE TURF
MENTALITY AND GET INTO THE TEAM MODE. THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF THE HOMELAND
STRATEGY OF THE UNITED STATES. EVERY AGENCY OF GOVERNMENT, EVERY SECTOR OF
SOCIETY, EVERY STATE, EVERY COUNTY, EVERY CITIZEN MUST LOCK INTO A SINGLE,
OVERRIDING IDEA -- THE SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY FROM TERRORISM.

WE MUST BUILD ON THE SAME CONCEPT, EVEN IF THE CHALLENGES ARE DIFFERENT
HERE. EVERY DEPARTMENT AND AGENCY, EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT, EVERY
EXTENSION WORKER, EVERY LAW ENFORCER OR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, EVERY GROUP IN
CIVIL SOCIETY, EVERY COMMUNITY, CHURCH AND PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATION --
EVERYBODY MUST BE FOCUSED AND DETERMINED TO SURMOUNT THE TWO MOST
FORMIDABLE ENEMIES OF OUR REPUBLIC TODAY -- ONE IS POVERTY AND THE OTHER IS
CRIME AND TERRORISM.

IN THE MODERN WORLD, ALMOST ALL ASPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY ARE
INTERRELATED. AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT HAS A SECURITY CONTENT BECAUSE
JOBLESSNESS IN THE RURAL AREAS LEADS TO INCREASED DISSIDENCE. AGRARIAN
REFORM IS VITAL TO SECURITY BECAUSE SOCIAL INJUSTICE INVITES REVOLUTIONARY
FERVOR. THE LACK OF EDUCATION LEADS TO IRRATIONAL VIOLENCE. WHERE THERE
IS POVERTY, IGNORANCE, INJUSTICE -- THERE IS CONFLICT. AND WHERE CONFLICT
ACQUIRES AN IDEOLOGICAL DIMENSION, WE HAVE A PROBLEM OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

AND THERE ARE NEW CHALLENGES THAT ARISE IN THE MIDST OF EVERY GROWING
DEMOCRACY LIKE OURS. POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DESTABILIZATION IS FOMENTED BY
RUMOR, INTRIGUE, DISINFORMATION. POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP BECOMES AN
OCCASION FOR SUBVERTING INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNANCE. CLANDESTINE DESIGNS
CREEP INTO THE ARMED SERVICES AND THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. THERE IS A
SENSE OF CONSTANT FRAGILITY THAT CANNOT BE EASILY OVERCOME.

BUT DEMOCRACY, AS WE HAVE SEEN, HAS ITS OWN GREAT DEFENSES. THE RULE OF
LAW, GOOD GOVERNANCE, MORAL LEADERSHIP -- THESE FOUNDATIONS CONTINUE TO
STAND FAST IMPERVIOUS TO THE INSIDIOUS AGENTS OF DESTABILIZATION.

AND SO I COMMEND YOU, THE PARTICIPANTS FOR COMING UP WITH THIS INTEGRATIVE
EFFORT. I CONTINUE TO BEAR A SOLID RESPECT FOR OUR INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PREVENT A NUMBER OF NEAR TRAGEDIES THROUGH TIMELY
ACTION ON CRUCIAL INFORMATION. WE HAVE CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY THROUGH ACCOMPLISHMENTS SUCH AS THE PRE-EMPTION OF
THE PLAN TO ASSASSINATE THE POPE IN 1995. THE ARREST OF THE WOULD-BE
ASSASSINS LED TO THE DISCOVERY OF OPLAN BOJINKA AND THE EVENTUAL ARREST OF
ONE OF THE PRINCIPALS IN THE WORLD TRADE CENTER BOMBING OF 1993. AND
RECENTLY, THE CAPTURE OF FATHUR ROHMAN AL-GHOZI CONTINUES TO UNEARTH LEADS
TO THE MALEVOLENCE OF THE JEMAAH ISLAMIYA.

THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION OF INTELLIGENCE MUST BE GIVEN UTMOST WEIGHT.
OUR TRILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA, OUR DEFENSE ALLIANCE
WITH AMERICA, OUR ROLE IN THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM AND
THE WHOLE RANGE OF OUR BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL RELATIONS MUST BE
FUNNELED INTO THE GRAND DESIGN OF OUR NATION'S SECURITY AND SURVIVAL.

I AM GLAD THAT PARTICIPATION IN THE SUMMIT IS NOT LIMITED TO LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, BUT EXPANDS TO SUCH SECTORS AS THE
ACADEME -- I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE, FOR INSTANCE, DR. VILLACORTA, DR. PUNO
-- THE BUSINESS SECTOR -- I SAW PETER WALLACE, I SAW BILL LUZ -- NGOs
ENGAGED IN NATIONAL SECURITY-RELATED ISSUES SUCH AS ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND POLICY RESEARCH -- I SAW VICC HERE -- INFRASTRUCTURE OWNERS
AND SECURITY INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS. I AM HAPPY TO SEE REPRESENTATIVES OF
THESE SECTORS HERE.

THERE IS A WHOLE NEW ENVIRONMENT WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OUR NATION. WE
HAVE TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH CHANGES IN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AND AMONG
STATES, BETWEEN STATES AND NON-STATE ACTORS AND INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS. TRENDS IN GLOBAL ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY CONTINUE TO MOVE
IN COMPLEX AND DYNAMIC WAYS. GOODS, SERVICES, CAPITAL, PEOPLE AND
BUSINESSES ARE CONTINUALLY IN FLUX; AND EVEN TRADITIONAL CONCEPTS OF THE
FAMILY, FAITH AND GOVERNANCE ARE BEING CHALLENGED. TO ALL THESE WE MUST
ADDRESS OUR MINDS AND ENERGIES.

I AM AWARE THAT FOUR INTER-AGENCY MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD TO DISCUSS THE
FORMAT OF THIS SUMMIT. THE EIGHT WORKING PANELS SET UP PINPOINT THE
CORRESPONDING RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY SECTOR OR AGENCY INVOLVED. MAY I
ACKNOWLEDGE, WITH APPRECIATION, THE CHAIRS, CO-CHAIRS AND MEMBERS OF ALL
THESE PANELS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING SO HARD.

EVERY FILIPINO MUST UNDERSTAND THAT HE IS BOTH BENEFICIARY AND STAKEHOLDER
IN WHAT WE ARE DOING HERE. THIS SHOULD START OFF AN EARNEST CAMPAIGN TO
MAKE OUR PEOPLE PRO-ACTIVE AND ENTHUSIASTIC ACTORS IN THE SECURITY AND
DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. I TRUST THAT SUCH PARTICIPATION WILL BE INCORPORATED
IN THE FULL SPECTRUM OF YOUR CONCERNS.

I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE CALL OF DUTY WILL ENABLE YOU TO COME UP WITH
MEANINGFUL, RELEVANT AND INTEGRATED INTELLIGENCE PROGRAMS. AND I EXPECT
YOUR MEMORANDUM OF OUTPUTS AFTER MID-APRIL WHEN YOU MEET AGAIN FOR THE
SUMMIT PROPER.

IN THE MEANTIME, THANK YOU FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS GREAT AND IMPORTANT
EFFORT.

MARAMING SALAMAT AT MAGANDANG HAPON SA INYONG LAHAT.

[HOME]