Philippines, Indonesia vow to boost border patrol cooperation

MANADO, Indonesia — The Philippines and Indonesia vowed yesterday to strengthen border patrols at the vast sea lane between the two nations.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rodolfo Obaniana, Philippine delegation head, and his Indonesian counterpart, Maj. Gen. Arief Budi Sampurno made the declaration at the 25th Philippine-Indonesia Border Committee Chairmen’s Conference at the Ritzy Hotel in this East Indonesian capital.

"We need to sustain the gains we have so far attained in this cooperation while we work on achieving the common goal of keeping our border waters safe and secure," Obaniana said.

Sampurno, on the other hand, commended the efforts of both the Philippines and Indonesia in keeping the bilateral relations strong through the joint border patrol mechanism.

North Sulawesi Gov. Harry Sarundajang emphasized the need to follow-up on the developments in the past meetings of the joint border patrol committee of the two countries.

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said at least 26,000 trips each year are made by all types of boats between the nearest islands of East Indonesia and Mindanao.

Both countries agreed to act on six agenda items that they deemed important, including the establishment of a joint working group tasked to codify and compile the reports and agreements made by both sides since the past 13th to the 24th border committee conferences.

The Philippine delegation also committed to open a webpage in the Armed Forces of the Philippines website.

The two neighboring nations also moved to conduct at least four coordinated patrols annually, one of which is to be undertaken during the meetings of the chairmen of both groups.

The remaining three coordinated patrols shall be conducted without calling to ports and participating units to meet at the border area.

The Indonesians asked that a representative of its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be a regular member of the Sub-Committee B of the entire joint border patrol committee.

The two countries agreed to exchange intelligence information on terrorism issues, and the Philippine delegation was tasked to submit a detailed proposal on how this particular mechanism can be worked out.

The Indonesian representatives moved that certain products be included in the prohibited list for border crossers, and the Philippine delegation committed to submit in due time its own list of prohibited goods.

Meanwhile, the Philippines and Malaysia started yesterday their annual joint border exercise to enhance their capability against the threat of terrorism.

At least four Malaysian patrol ships, including two from the Malaysian Coast Guard, one from the Malaysian Navy, and one from the Maritime Command docked in the Majini wharf in Naval Forces Western Mindanao yesterday.

The Philippine Navy had also deployed two gunboats, and a patrol craft came from the Philippine Coast Guard.

Maj. Eugene Batara, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information chief, said the two countries will hold joint exercises for 10 days.

"The border exercises will enhance bilateral agreement between the two countries, especially in protecting the common borders against criminality, illegal activities and terrorism," he said.

Joint border patrols will be a deterrent to terrorists using the vast sea lanes in the South, he added.

In many occasions, the MalaysianNavy has reported that the Abu Sayyaf and the Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network has used the Philippine-Malaysia sea border in slipping to both countries. – With Roel Pareño, Jess Diaz