Threats to Phl, Indon borders remain

MANADO, Indonesia – Threats continue to plague the maritime borders between the Philippines and Indonesia that endanger what is considered to be endowed with the richest maritime resources in the world, a top Filipino security official here said yesterday.

“The continuing and persistent threats to our maritime waters such as piracy, terrorism, poaching, sabotage and other transnational crimes continue to undermine not only our nation’s eco- nomic progress but also our efforts to conserve and protect our seas,” Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao chief Commodore Philip Cacayan said during the 30th Vice Chairmen’s Conference of the Philippine-Indonesia Border Committee Cooperation.

Cacayan told the summit here in the North Sulawesi capital that the task to secure the vast maritime waters of the two nations has to be jointly undertaken.

“It is said that the waters that separate us are also the same waters that join us in which the maritime borders that we share are our mutual and utmost concern,” he said.