U.S. sponsors maritime law enforcement training in Cebu City

From the Palawan News (Jun 1, 2024): U.S. sponsors maritime law enforcement training in Cebu City

The Philippine Coast Guard’s Lieutenant Junior Grade Cyril Pearl Magbanua (sixth from left), the first female lead instructor of a Southeast Asia Training Team (SEATT) event, poses alongside her Vessel Boarding Officer Course co-instructors from the United States, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. The training event is supported by the United States Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

The United States Coast Guard Southeast Asia Training Team (SEATT), along with instructors from the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan, conducted a Vessel Boarding Officer Course in Cebu City from May 13 to 24.

The course aimed to enhance the maritime law enforcement skills of 30 participants from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG).

The SEATT’s Vessel Boarding Officer Course equips participants with basic skills and techniques on boarding vessels for at-sea law enforcement. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), this is the first USCG-INL event held in the Visayas.

Hosted by Coast Guard District Central Visayas, the training event featured 4 U.S.-trained PCG instructors, 2 instructors from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, 2 instructors from the Royal Thailand Marine Police, and 3 experts from the Japan Coast Guard. The participants were trained in maritime law, evidence collection and preservation, safety and risk mitigation, arresting techniques, defensive tactics, and authorized use of force techniques.

“This was the first time that PCG took the lead on planning and facilitating a multinational training event in Central Visayas, and it proved to be a resounding success. We’d like to highlight the outstanding collaboration among our group of multinational instructors in training Philippine maritime law enforcement professionals to uphold maritime governance more effectively,” USCG team lead Lieutenant Dana Schmitt said.

https://palawan-news.com/u-s-sponsors-maritime-law-enforcement-training-in-cebu-city/