Indonesian and Philippine Navies Conduct Joint Patrol to Combat Piracy and Terrorism
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The Indonesian and Philippine navies have successfully conducted a joint patrol along their maritime border in the waters of Sulawesi and Mindanao, aimed at strengthening their capabilities against piracy and terrorism threats, an Indonesian navy spokesman announced.
This joint effort, which took place on Thursday, June 27, marked the second phase of the 38th Coordinated Patrol-Philippines-Indonesia (Corpat Philindo), according to Fleet Command II Spokesman Colonel Widyo Sasongko, who made the announcement on Friday.
The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) deployed KRI Kakap-811, while the Philippine Navy contributed its Jacinto-class corvette, BRP Artemio Ricarte (PS-37), and PN Aircraft NV394. The joint patrol also aimed to enhance interoperability between the two navies, Sasongko noted.
The vessels participated in a series of exercises, including maneuvering (Manex), passage (Passex), and formation for PhotoEx. The training concluded with a salute, after which both navies continued patrolling within their respective territorial waters.
The maritime border between Indonesia and the Philippines in the Sulawesi and Sulu waters has historically been a hotspot for piracy and activities by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), who have frequently used the area for smuggling goods and trafficking persons.
In response to these cross-border threats to maritime security, the TNI-AL and Philippine Navy conduct coordinated patrols annually under the Corpat Philindo Program. These patrols are part of the implementation of the 1975 Border Crossing Area (BCA) Agreement between the two countries, Sasongko added.
As previously reported, the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group abducted eight Indonesians working on a fishing vessel in the Tambisan waters of Tungku Lahad Datu, Malaysian State of Sabah, on January 16, 2020.
Three of the eight hostages—Abdul Latif (37), Daeng Akbal (20), and Pian bin Janiru (36)—were freed along with the wooden fishing boat, while five others remained in captivity. The remaining hostages were identified as Arsyad bin Dahlan (42), Arizal Kastamiran (29), La Baa (32), Riswanto bin Hayono (27), and Edi bin Lawalopo (53). The kidnappers demanded 30 million pesos (approximately 4.4 million US dollars) for the release of the five Indonesians.
The incident occurred near the location where three other Indonesians were kidnapped in the same waters on September 23, 2019. From 2016 to November 2018, the Abu Sayyaf Group had taken 34 Indonesian citizens hostage in the southern Philippines.
