PH, Indon, Malaysian must sustain presence in MCCs: DND

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 15, 2022): PH, Indon, Malaysian must sustain presence in MCCs: DND (By Priam Nepomuceno)

MANILA – The Philippines and its next-door neighbors, Indonesia and Malaysia, must sustain security cooperation in the Sulu and Celebes Seas to ensure that lawless elements responsible for kidnapping and piracy will not make a comeback in the maritime areas of common concerns (MCCs), the Department of National Defense (DND) has said.

In a statement released Wednesday, Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said this was stressed by the Philippine contingent during the back-to-back bilateral and trilateral security engagements at the 20th Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines (INDOMALPHI) Joint Working Group (JWG) Meeting on the Trilateral Cooperative Arrangement (TCA) held in Bandung last Dec. 6.

DND Office for Strategic Assessments and International Affairs director Marita I. Yoro, who headed the contingent, said in the meeting that while there was a significant decline and zero-incidence of kidnap-for-ransom incidents instigated by the Abu Sayyaf Group since January 2020, efforts must continue to ensure the presence of Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines in their MCCs.

"Director Yoro emphasized that the three countries must not be complacent and continue to work with one another to sustain their presence in the maritime areas of common concern as a deterrence for lawless elements. The JWG agreed to further assess and consider initiatives that will bolster the trilateral cooperation between the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia," Andolong said.

He added that the two sub-working groups under the JWG - the Trilateral Maritime Patrol (TMP) Sub-Working Group (TMP SWG), and Intelligence Sub-Working Group (ISWG) - also met to discuss the status of trilateral activities in their respective MCCs.

These include proposals or means to advance information sharing on real-time, and updates on security developments in the area of maritime interest (AMI).

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190815