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PH, US, Japan Coast Guards hold maritime law enforcement training for Southeast Asian nations
By JOVILAND RITA, GMA Integrated NewsThe Coast Guards of the Philippines, United States, and Japan led a maritime law enforcement training for different Southeast Asian countries in Palawan from May 15 to 26, the American embassy said Friday.
In a statement, the US Embassy in the Philippines said the Multinational Vessel Boarding Officer Course was attended by 33 participants from the following agencies in different countries:
- Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
- Philippine National Police Maritime Group
- Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency
- Thailand’s Maritime Enforcement Command Center
- Vietnam’s Department of Fisheries
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According to the US Embassy, the participants enhanced their knowledge on the law of the sea and policy on the use of force.
They also participated in practical exercises focused on self-defense tactics and vessel search procedures, it added.
PCG instructor Ensign Gilbert Alberto Rueras said the Boarding Officer Course serves as a cornerstone in the pursuit of maritime security.
“It equips us, alongside our esteemed multinational participants, with indispensable knowledge, skills, and unwavering ethical principles while fostering cooperation and camaraderie with our international counterparts,” he said.
“Through this transformative experience, we are able to fortify our capabilities, ensuring the safety, prosperity, and shared interests of our maritime domain,” he added.
This course was the first time that the US and Japan Coast Guards conducted a training for a multinational audience with the PCG as a co-host, the embassy said.
The US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs funded the training with P4.1 million under its new Southeast Asia Training Team Program, it added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News