MANILA, Philippines - US threat reduction experts are training 30 coast guard intelligence officers on the detection and interdiction of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).
The four-day training is intended to impart to them the knowledge and skills on how to detect and interdict the trafficking of WMD and related materials within Philippine territorial waters and key seaports.
The training started on July 22 and ends today at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) headquarters in Manila.
PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said they are preparing for the eventuality of WMDs being brought into Philippine waters.
“The Coast Guard must follow the practice in other maritime countries and step up on its know-how,” he added.
Balilo said the training is a continuing program of the Coast Guard on WMDs.
“We have some 30 personnel representing all our 12 districts and some intelligence personnel,” he said. “The idea is that for every district there would be at least one Coast Guard personnel who is capable to handle this kind of situation.”
Participants in the training would then pass on the knowledge to handle WMDs like bombs and chemical weapons to other coastguardsmen in their district.