US donates new equipment to PNP Special Boat Unit

MANILA, Philippines - US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. traveled the other day to Palawan to dedicate new facilities and equipment designed to enhance the Philippines’ maritime law enforcement and interception capabilities. 

The equipment, donated by the US government to the Special Boat Unit (SBU) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), include two sophisticated police patrol boats, two boat-towing heavy-duty pick-up trucks, and an outstation in Balabac, Palawan.

Thomas was joined at the dedication ceremony by Director Samuel Diciano, deputy chief for PNP operations; Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, and Balabac Mayor Shuaib Astami.       

According to the US embassy, the dedication marked a significant milestone for the project that began in 2006.  

The SBU was born out of a joint proposal by the PNP and the US Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) to create a modern police unit fully capable of enforcing maritime law.  

Since it became operational in 2010, the SBU has made more than 200 arrests at sea and seized 17 vessels and a variety of contraband amounting to over $1.1 million.  

Arrests have been related to crimes such as illegal fishing, harvesting of protected environmental products and animals, cigarette and petroleum smuggling, and possession of illegal drugs and weapons.  

The SBU has also evacuated more than 160 people during emergencies and rescued more than 50 people, including victims of human trafficking.

“These accomplishments are an important reminder to me of why we continue to invest in the PNP Special Boat Unit to fight transnational crime, combat the scourge of human trafficking, save lives and protect the environment,” Thomas said. 

“This partnership has greatly increased the capabilities of Philippine authorities to confront long-standing transnational, organized criminal activity,” he added.

In the coming months, the total amount donated by the US government as part of the SBU project will reach $9 million (more than P380 million).

The amount comprises the donation of six patrol boats with accompanying spare engines and other parts; the construction and upgrading of the SBU headquarters; the new Balabac outstation, along with two additional outstations to be constructed in Taganak and Bongao, Tawi-Tawi; essential operational equipment; and thousands of hours of training.

In addition to support from ICITAP, the SBU project is supported by funding and training from the US Department of Defense’s Joint Inter-Agency Task Force-West and the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

The ICITAP Philippines field office, established in 2006, works in partnership with the PNP on a variety of police training and development projects throughout the country, with emphasis on enhancing the PNP’s law enforcement capacity.