Justice for Domingo and Viernes
Seattle, WA
Petition to the Seattle Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Re: FBI Informant at Scene of 1981 Domingo and Viernes Murders!
1. WHEREAS: On June 1, 1981, anti-Marcos Filipino activists Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes, were summarily executed by a hit team paid for by the repressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.
2. WHEREAS: Ferdinand Marcos was found personally liable for the murders in a federal jury trial in 1989 and a federal judge found that the murders were paid for out of a Marcos intelligence slush fund as an overt act of a conspiracy against the anti-Marcos movement in the U.S.
3. WHEREAS: During the King County Superior Court criminal trial of Jimmy Ramil and Ben Guloy, the men that Silme identified to first responders that were his assailants, a witness Levane Forsythe, came forward at the end of the trial to testify for the defense. He testified that he was present at the scene of the murders, spoke to Silme, who he claimed did not know who shot him and that the men on trial (Ramil and Guloy) were not present. Despite this testimony, the hit men were convicted of first degree aggravated murder.
4. WHEREAS: The FBI assigned 42 agents to investigate the Domingo and Viernes murders but no indictment was ever brought by the U.S. Attorney.
5. WHEREAS: In his deposition taken in the civil case filed by the Estates of Domingo and Viernes against Ferdinand Marcos, Forsythe admitted he was an FBI informant. He sated that he would be called by his control agent and told to go to a particular location, observe what happened and write a report. He testified he wrote a report about the Domingo and Viernes murders on June 1st that described what he had testified to but claimed not to remember who he sent it to.
6. WHEREAS: Forsythe also claimed in his deposition that he was an informant for FBI-DEA-IRS investigation in Southern California and named his control agent.
7. WHEREAS: In June of 2015, Mike Withey, attorney for the Domingo and Viernes Estates, and independent film maker Sharon Maeda filed an FOIA request with the FBI seeking all documents related to Forsythe, his testimony in the criminal trial, and his work as an FBI informant.
8. WHEREAS: The FBI has delayed producing any documents for close to three years. However it has admitted that it has 1246 pages of documents related to an investigation in which Forsythe worked as an informant for the FBI office in Seattle from 1980 to 1986, a period of time covering the Domingo and Viernes murders and his testimony at the Ramil and Guloy trial. The FBI denied having any documents related to the FBI-DEA-IRS investigation in Southern California indicated they had been destroyed.
9. WHEREAS: The FBI has verbally refused to provide any documents which identify Forsythe’s Seattle FBI control agent, who ostensibly, and perhaps with prior knowledge of the Marcos-initiated murders, dispatched Forsythe to the crime scene and was aware he testified in the Ramil and Guloy trial. If true, such action could constitute an obstruction of justice and should be investigated as such.
NOW THEREFORE, the undersigned organizations and individuals hereby demand:
1. The FBI immediately provide to Withey and Maeda and/or make public ALL documents related to Forsythe’s role as an FBI informant, including for its Seattle Office.
2. The FBI provide the name or names of all FBI agents in Seattle or elsewhere who had any contact with, or provided guidance, direction or authorization to Forsythe at any time.
3. The FBI refer this matter to the U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Washington and/or the Department of Justice to investigate possible obstruction of justice charges against any such FBI employee who acted as Forsythe’s control agent in 1981 with knowledge of his activities related to the Domingo and Viernes murders.
1. WHEREAS: On June 1, 1981, anti-Marcos Filipino activists Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes, were summarily executed by a hit team paid for by the repressive regime of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines.
2. WHEREAS: Ferdinand Marcos was found personally liable for the murders in a federal jury trial in 1989 and a federal judge found that the murders were paid for out of a Marcos intelligence slush fund as an overt act of a conspiracy against the anti-Marcos movement in the U.S.
3. WHEREAS: During the King County Superior Court criminal trial of Jimmy Ramil and Ben Guloy, the men that Silme identified to first responders that were his assailants, a witness Levane Forsythe, came forward at the end of the trial to testify for the defense. He testified that he was present at the scene of the murders, spoke to Silme, who he claimed did not know who shot him and that the men on trial (Ramil and Guloy) were not present. Despite this testimony, the hit men were convicted of first degree aggravated murder.
4. WHEREAS: The FBI assigned 42 agents to investigate the Domingo and Viernes murders but no indictment was ever brought by the U.S. Attorney.
5. WHEREAS: In his deposition taken in the civil case filed by the Estates of Domingo and Viernes against Ferdinand Marcos, Forsythe admitted he was an FBI informant. He sated that he would be called by his control agent and told to go to a particular location, observe what happened and write a report. He testified he wrote a report about the Domingo and Viernes murders on June 1st that described what he had testified to but claimed not to remember who he sent it to.
6. WHEREAS: Forsythe also claimed in his deposition that he was an informant for FBI-DEA-IRS investigation in Southern California and named his control agent.
7. WHEREAS: In June of 2015, Mike Withey, attorney for the Domingo and Viernes Estates, and independent film maker Sharon Maeda filed an FOIA request with the FBI seeking all documents related to Forsythe, his testimony in the criminal trial, and his work as an FBI informant.
8. WHEREAS: The FBI has delayed producing any documents for close to three years. However it has admitted that it has 1246 pages of documents related to an investigation in which Forsythe worked as an informant for the FBI office in Seattle from 1980 to 1986, a period of time covering the Domingo and Viernes murders and his testimony at the Ramil and Guloy trial. The FBI denied having any documents related to the FBI-DEA-IRS investigation in Southern California indicated they had been destroyed.
9. WHEREAS: The FBI has verbally refused to provide any documents which identify Forsythe’s Seattle FBI control agent, who ostensibly, and perhaps with prior knowledge of the Marcos-initiated murders, dispatched Forsythe to the crime scene and was aware he testified in the Ramil and Guloy trial. If true, such action could constitute an obstruction of justice and should be investigated as such.
NOW THEREFORE, the undersigned organizations and individuals hereby demand:
1. The FBI immediately provide to Withey and Maeda and/or make public ALL documents related to Forsythe’s role as an FBI informant, including for its Seattle Office.
2. The FBI provide the name or names of all FBI agents in Seattle or elsewhere who had any contact with, or provided guidance, direction or authorization to Forsythe at any time.
3. The FBI refer this matter to the U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Washington and/or the Department of Justice to investigate possible obstruction of justice charges against any such FBI employee who acted as Forsythe’s control agent in 1981 with knowledge of his activities related to the Domingo and Viernes murders.