NAVFORSOL chief visits Catanduanes

From the Catanduanes Tribune (Dec 16): NAVFORSOL chief visits Catanduanes

The commander of the Naval Forces South Luzon made his first visit to the island province recently, remarking that Catanduanes seems to be very peaceful that it does not need the presence of naval ships in its waters.

Commodore Giovanni Carlo Bacordo and company arrived on board a Navy plane Dec. 1 and paid a courtesy call on Governor Joseph Cua at the capitol. The NAVFORSOL chief said that Catanduanes is part of his area of responsibility (AOR) in Regions IV-A and IV-B, with ships often visiting troubled areas such as Masbate and Sorsogon due to the presence of the New People’s Army.

Warmly welcoming the navy officer and his party at his office, Gov. Cua indicated that the province’s main problem with regards to its surrounding waters is the smuggling of narra to Quezon province.

Bacordo disclosed that his command’s main concerns are terrorism, piracy and the smuggling of arms, with their efforts coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine Army, other military units, provincial governments, and other government agencies.

He added that his visit, the first to the island which was the last on his list, was only short as they need to go back to the critical areas of Western Mindanao and Palawan. Commodore Bacordo also paid courtesy calls on Mayor Samuel Laynes of Virac and Catanduanes Police OIC-provincial director Senior Superintendent Jeffrey Fernandez.
http://www.catanduanestribune.com/article/3Z6C