US diplomats believed Jackie Enrile 'did the shooting' in 1975 - Wikileaks cable

InterAkyson.com

MANILA, Philippines - A purported US cable posted by whistleblower site Wikileaks.org suggests that American officials gave credence to reports that Jack Enrile, current congressman and senatorial aspirant, and the son of then-Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, was complicit in a shooting incident in 1975.

“Some NBI sources have told us unequivocally, and contrary to Secretary Enrile’s assurances to (the US Ambassador) that Enrile’s son did the shooting.”

The cable was ostensibly posted on October 1, 1975, and transmitted from the Philippines to the US State Department. The Wikileaks post did not attribute the communication to any particular author or official.

The cable acknowledged reports already swirling in Philippine media and society that the young Enrile and his bodyguard were implicated in a shooting incident. It did not mention any victim’s name, although Enrile in an interview with Headstart host Karen Davila on ANC last February, acknowledged that in September 1975, while attending a soiree, he figured in a confrontation with a La Salle student, Ernest Lucas Jr., that led to Lucas’ “accidental shooting” by one of his bodyguards.

The young Enrile stressed that he was ultimately cleared in the case. His bodyguard, however, was convicted of homicide and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Below is the complete Wikileaks transcript.

1. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ENRILE LEFT THE PHILIPPINES SEPTEMBER 30. ALTHOUGH HE DESCRIBED PLANNED ABSENCE TO AMBASSADOR AS ONLY FOR A FEW DAYS WHILE GOVERNMENT INVESTI- GATED CHARGES AGAINST HIS SON, RUMORS HAVE INCREASED THAT VISIT MAY BE LENGTHIER.

2. STRENGTH OF RUMORS MAY BE RELATED TO FACT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED FAIRLY FIRM INDICATIONS THAT ENRILE'S SON MAY BE CHARGED. NBI SOURCES HAVE COMPLETED THEIR INVESTIGATION AND HAVE INDICATED TO US THAT BOTH THE ENRILE BOY AND HIS BODYGUARD ARE LIABLE TO PROSECUTION. WE ARE NOT INFORMED AS TO SPECIFIC CHARGES NBI WOULD PREFER ALTHOUGH SOME NBI SOURCES HAVE TOLD US UNEQUIVOCALLY, AND CONTRARY TO SECRETARY ENRILE'S ASSURANCES TO AMBASSADOR (REFTEL), THAT ENRILE'S SON DID THE SHOOTING.

WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT CHIEF PROSECUTING ATTORNEY NOCON BELIEVES THAT NBI INVESTIGATION RESULTS PROVIDE ADEQUATE BASIS FOR LEGAL ACTION, CHARGES UNSPECIFIED.

3. FIRMING UP OF REPORTS AGAINST ENRILE SON COINCIDES WITH SPECULATION ABOUT FUTURE OF ENRILE HIMSELF. WHEN ENRILE LEFT, PRESIDENT MARCOS TOOK OVER AS ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. PRESS POINTED OUT THAT PRESIDENT HAD DONE THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEFORE AND SUGGESTED TEMPORARY NATURE OF SUCH ACTION. VALENCIA IN PARTICULAR HAS REITERATED THAT ENRILE WOULD BE BACK SHORTLY. ON OTHER HAND, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF RUMORS SUGGESTING THAT ENRILE'S CAREER AS DEFENSE SECRETARY MAY BE OVER. MELCHOR MAY BE PRIME CONTRIBUTOR TO THESE STORIES. LATEST MELCHOR CONTRIBUTION WAS TO SUGGEST TO AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN TWO DAYS AGO THAT IT LOOKED AS THOUGH ENRILE WOULD HAVE TO GO. 4.COMMENT: IT IS PROBABLY PREMATURE TO TALK OF EFFORT TO OUST ENRILE FROM GOVERNMENT BUT TALES NOTED ABOVE ARE DAMAGING AND MIGHT PRESAGE LATER EFFORT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF CASE AGAINST SON AND MOOD OF PURGES TO STAMPEDE ENRILE OUT OF GOVERNMENT. HIS LONG RUN PROSPECTS PROGABLY INTIMATELY TIED TO HOW AND IF MARCOS PROCEEDS WITH MILITARY PURGE AND TO STEPS HE MUST TAKE THEREAFTER TO RESTORE LOYAL AND MOVING GOVERNMENT. SULLIVAN

CONFIDENTIAL

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/59120/us-diplomats-believed-jackie-enrile-did-the-shooting-in-1975---wikileaks-cable