VIOLENCE DURING PHILIPPINE ELECTIONS

Created: 10/14/1949

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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UaDRANDUK TO UHECTOR OT CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE SUBJECTS Violence during Philippine Election*

COJICIiSIOKS

1. In response to your verbal request for informationRuk uprising* Ln the Philippines, the following la submittedi

Although deaonetrations and violence involving Comminist-led Euke or other dissident elements are expected throughout the Philippine Republic before and duringcveaber nationaleneral uprising isunlikely.

b_. itiaene in Manila nay be accidental victisaa of violence associated with Philippine factional disputes both in demonstrations before the election and at the polls. Thia aaaa risk la faded bydlltary personnel ln the Dark Pie Id area ofon.

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The approaching*lections in tho ftxlllppine public, in which three rlTal political faction* are ottterly involved,be aeooapenled by outbreaks of lawlessness throughout the area* Illicit fireane are plentiful In the Republic and the strong sentiments connected with the election contest aaxt sporadic incidents of violence a No general uprising la anticipated, nowever.

Tg aB rWJU

-h'.li violence and dsnonatratlons both before election aay and at the nolle are orobsble In -ianiU, the local police, recently reinforce* by troooa ofl lip-ins Conatabulary, are believed capable of keep* ing such incidents in hand. Ihe possibility remains, Iwwever, that US bystanders aay find themselves aoo id an tally caught in the croa afire, although cher? ia no reason to believe that the US personnel or pro party will be selected targets for violence* Soac rhilippine OeYern-untay be injured or killed either la dtsanutrationa oresult of poll tlcally-waativated aaaaaainations* "oils it ia poaalble that the eleotlone could serve aa the eignal for an attempted cap alaed aterit 'n ^antlalilotlihood of such an action appears remote. Ibe rhilippine Oovernment, disturbed both by Ceessnnist aupport for the aajor opcoaitloa candidate, Jose laurel, and by reports ofcooKuniet-lad Huk Infiltration into Uanila, has recentlya series of raids In an effort to break up Dak conoeatrmtione, prevent terrorlsa during the elections and uncover any subversive plots* To date, ths kenila raids have not resulted In tb* cantors of Buk leaders, although tbe authorities claiat to have unearthed documentsopular uprising against the uovernoent. Any such coup atte*pt, lt la believed, would be aatreawly snort-lived* since lt would lack popular support, and since uofsrnaent troops would be aols to restore authority quickly*

Sismltaneous with the Gorerneent raids Ineneral antl-hok caenalgn has been laurwhert in central luson* the terroriats' txsslltiooal stronghold. eports of the success or failure of the uoverne*nVs provirwUl campaign hare yet been received. US military personnel ln the Clark Field area of central Laeon have long been exposed to Buk raids and have been robbed anden rout* to and froa the airfield. Such attacks are expected to continue but there are no indications that they will be stepped up because of th* Upending election* Elsewhere ia the rhllippinea. th* likelihood of Incidents Involving: US cltltens Is reeote.

Original document.

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