Top US anti-crime diplomat arrives in Manila

MANILA, Philippines – The head of the US Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) is currently in the Philippines for a two-day visit.

Assistant Secretary William Brownfield arrived on Wednesday accompanied by US Coast Guard commandant Admiral Paul Zukunft.

Brownfield is scheduled to meet with Philippine officials to discuss maritime law enforcement efforts in the country and in the region.

Brownfield is slated to meet with Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez and with Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales while in Manila.

INL, tasked to combat international crime and illegal drugs, and their impact on the US by providing effective foreign assistance and cultivating global cooperation to counter these threats, provides assistance in the Philippines.

Brownfield's office now manages $20 million in foreign assistance to the Philippines with an additional plan of providing more than $8 million in assistance yearly.

INL's assistance expanded the capabilities of Philippine partner agencies across the criminal justice spectrum.

INL also has programs covering law enforcement and the rule of law to prevent threats of international crime and illegal drugs. These include police professionalization, justices sector development, correctional institution reform and citizen security strengthening.