MANILA — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) expressed support to the global campaign against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as it vowed to uphold national security and border protection.
“In the face of challenges and menace of terrorism, safeguarding our borders is a shared responsibility,” Customs Commssioner Isidro Lapeña said in his speech at the opening of the World Customs Organization (WCO) Sub-Regional Train-the-Trainers Workshop on Programme Global Shield (PGS) held in Pasay City Tuesday.
Participants from South East Asia and the Pacific composed of countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam will be joining the two-week-long workshop at MIDAS Hotel.
Also present are officials and representatives from the BOC, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippine National Police (PNP).
The PGS is among the international efforts of WCO designed to interdict illicit diversion and trafficking of chemical precursors, detonators and transmitting devices used by terrorists and other felonious organizations in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The gathering aims to provide Customs officers the knowledge and skills in the detection and handling of precursor chemicals which is now commonly used by terrorist groups in manufacturing IEDs.
Likewise, the program is focused on promoting cooperation among customs and police administration against illegal trafficking and diversion of IEDs.
PGS resource trainers include WCO Assistant Project Manager for Security Program Juan Manuel Mancilla Lopez, including WCO accredited PGS trainer Chandra Prakash Goyal and PGS Technical Expert Estheshamul Hoque.
The workshop is co-hosted by BOC and sponsored by the Security Project Fund of Japan.
PGS continue to raise awareness of the emerging threat posed by IEDs across the globe. (PNA)
