Coast guard begins anti-terror, anti-piracy exercises in southwestern Mindanao

From Rappler (Jun 22, 2021): Coast guard begins anti-terror, anti-piracy exercises in southwestern Mindanao (By FRENCIE CARREON)

Task Force Pagsasanay will test the coast guard's newly acquired ship-based and coastal monitoring capabilities for search and rescue and law enforcement operations

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) began anti-terrorism and anti-piracy exercises in the waters off Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Monday, June 21.

The weeklong Task Force Pagsasanay would test the coast guard's newly acquired ship-based and coastal monitoring capabilities for search and rescue and law enforcement operations, particularly at the Sibutu Passage and Basilan Strait, where piracy and abductions have become perennial problems.

The area where the exercises are ongoing is near the Zamboanga Peninsula region, and the provinces of Tawi-tawi, Basilan, and Sulu in the BARMM.

PCG Commandant Admiral George Ursabia Jr. said the ongoing exercises brought together the crew of four coast guard vessels – BRP Gabriela Silang, BRP Tubbataha, BRP Bagacay, and BRP Cape Engaño – along with personnel and dozens of fast-response boats from 47 Coast Guard stations and substations in southwestern Mindanao.

Ursabia said pilots and technical personnel from the Coast Guard Aviation Force were also taking part in the exercises that involve the PCG's BN Islander plane and several light twin-engine airbus helicopters.

He said Task Force Pagsasanay was organized to ensure that the "PCG can ably secure the Philippines' maritime jurisdiction, especially the frontiers where we are needed most."

Ursabia said the exercises would also test the Coast Guard's monitoring and search and rescue facilities in place to ensure that the PCG can quickly respond to distress calls up to 100 miles away via radio repeater stations.

The coast guard has recently established new stations at Great Bacungan at the seams of Turtle Islands and upgraded another in Taganac in Tawi-Tawi province.

It also set up a lighthouse at the southernmost islet of Panguan in Sitangkai to help fishermen and traditional maritime traders.

The exercises, he said, were being done because the Philippines is a contracting party to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia.

"Our community presence in this area has expanded 130% due to the entry of locals to the PCG. We believe such organizational enhancements, social and technological innovations and infrastructure projects, among others, have significantly contributed in the decrease on seajacking reports in Mindanao," Ursabia said. 

https://www.rappler.com/nation/philippine-coast-guard-anti-terror-piracy-exercises-mindanao-june-2021