DOCUMENTS GIVEN VICE PRESIDENT AGNEW BY PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06825370
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: March 9, 2023
• Document Release Date: October 5, 2021
• Case Number: F-2019-00382
• Publication Date: March 2, 1973

Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
FET
1����
I
SECRET/S
EY ONLY
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
2 March 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: The President
SUBJECT: Documents Given Vice President Agnew
by Philippine President Ferdinand Marci_o_si
1. This memorandum is in response to your request via
General Scol,veroft that we analyze the file of documents given the
Vice President by Philippine President [Mars-Q.1
(b)(3)
2. These documents allege that there were a group of
Filipino conspirators who made several attempts on Marcos' life
during the first half of 1972. According to the documents, involved
in these early.attempts were two Americans, Samuel Cummings,
an international arms dealer and Bernard Tractman, a long time
resident of the Philippines who has a (b)(1)
criminal record. Tractrnan was alleged to have imported explosives (b)(3)
provided by Cummings into the Philippines for the conspirators.
After their early attempts failed the conspirators are alleged to
have sent Tractrnan to" New York to recruit two Americans who
operated on the fringes of the New York underworld, Robert Pincus
and August McCormick Liebman!, Jr. LLehimanl and Pincus arrived
in the Philippines in June 1972 from New York City. Lehx_r_cn. s
confession states that he planned to attempt to assassinate Mar_c_o_i
from a Volkswagen van with a sniper scope equipped rifle. The plot
SECRET/ NSITIVE
EY ONLY
-SEeITET
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
SECRET/SE NET
EYE iNLY
was apparently uncovered by the Philippine authorities before it
could be executed. Ltelamanl and several Filipinos were arrested.
Tractrnan and Pincus escaped
3. It appears from the documents the main motive of the
Filipinos involved was a desire to kill II arVF--c- in order to establish
a new government which would permit them to gain control over
gambling in the Philippines and to earn kickbacks by purchasing
weapons for the Philippine armed services through Samuel R.
Cummings. Lehman stated to a U. S. Consul, in refuting his
confession, that he took the job at the request of the Mafia which
only planned to see how much money they could extort from the
Filipinos and that he had no intention of going through with an
actual assassination attempt. In sum, the overall weight of the
documentary evidence is that there was a loose and poorly con-
ceived plan afoot to assassinate Marcos, but that it is doubtful
that it would have ever been carried out.
4.
Lehrnanl
however, according to his statement to the Consul, claimed he
acted as an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in
New York City before going to the Philippines. He claimed he,
played along with the scheme to collect information on the Mafia
which he could later provide the FBI.
2
SECRET/ NSITIVE
EY. ONLY
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
SECRET/5
EY ONLY
WET
6. The rest of the documents implicate the Malaysian Govern-
ment and
Libyan
\meddling
8. Pursuant to your instruction that this material not be
circulated elsewhere, we have not consulted other agencies about
it. I do suggest, however, that the Federal Bureau of Investigation
be asked for whatever light they can shed on the Americans involved
in this case. The original file is being returned herewith should
you wish to do so, or I would be pleased to handle it myself.
Attachment
James R. Schlesinger
Director
3
SECRET/ SITIVE
� EY ONLY
SE E
(b)(3)
(b)(6)
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370
SE ET
�
SECRE8NSITIVE
DRAFT MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT MARCOS FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT
Dear Mr. President:
I wish to thank you. again for your hospitality during my recent visit
to your country.
Regarding the file of documents containing certain sensitive information
which was provided me, the United States Government has begun, at my
request, an investigation of the matter. I will be in touch with you if we
are able to uncover further information.
SEplET
Approved for Release: 2021/10/04 C06825370