Coast Guard trains vs WMDs

MANILA, Philippines - With weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) already a global concern, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting a 10-day training course that will increase the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) capability in securing the country.

US embassy Economic Counselor Brian Doherty said the US Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance Program (EXBS) is supporting the Advance Boarding Officer’s Course USCG Mobile Education and Training, which started yesterday.

Most of the 24 participants come from the PCG-Special Operations Group (SOG).

The course includes extensive instruction and practical exercises in subject control techniques, defensive tactics, arrest procedures use of force, judgment and boarding exercises.

“This training course is specially concerned with expanding global markets and advance in technology that has made the movement of weapons of mass destruction truly an international problem,” said Doherty.

The US government has also reportedly increased its civilian maritime assistance to countries along potential transit and transshipment routes.

While there is no imminent threat of WMD entering the Philippines, there is a need to improve its capability in detecting the presence of these destructive weapons, Doherty said.

“The Philippines is a strong standing ally and we always want allies to have the highest level of capability possible so we have the opportunity to bring these USCG trainers here and to raise the professional skills of your already very capable Coast Guard,” the US embassy official said.

PCG commandant Vice Admiral Ramon Liwag, in a speech read by vice commandant for administration Commodore Lino Dabi, said there is borderless war on terrorism. “We are now facing no specific enemy nation, no conventional battlefield to engage the enemy, as the American author Stephen Flyn would put it, ‘there are no fronts in the war of terrorism.’”

“I personally consider this cross training with the US Coast Guard very timely, in the sense that seemingly there is a trend to strengthen regional cooperation among nations in the area of maritime security, law enforcement and environmental protection.”

Aside from the training, Liwag said they are also hoping to receive tactical radio procurement for the PCG’s Counter Terrorist Response Teams from the EXBS assistance program this August.