DAVAO CITY – The Philippines and Indonesia have leveled-off on issues to boost mutual cross-border and maritime defense and security cooperation with the two countries working to curb terrorism and increase trade.
At the conclusion of the two-day 36th Republic of the Philippines – Republic of Indonesia Border Committee Chairmen’s Conference Tuesday at the SM Convention Center, the Philippines and Indonesia agreed to intensify coordinated patrol operations to prevent the utilization of the respective country’s territorial waters as an avenue for the proliferation of terrorism and other transnational crimes.
Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, who chairs the Philippines Border Committee, and Rear Admiral Didik Setiyono S.E, commander of the Eastern Fleet Command of the Republic of Indonesia, re-affirms the existing mutual understanding on border relations and bilateral cooperation between two countries.
After the two-day conference, Madrigal said both the Philippines and Indonesia’s border committees had levelled off on several issues and scratched off the surface so that long-standing ties would grow stronger and deeper.
Despite a diverse defense, Madrigal said the conference not just deepened alliance but also built a peaceful Southeast Asian region.
Setiyono said one of the resolutions sealed during the conference was to establish additional border crossing stations.
However, he said each committee had to identify the areas yet.
Currently, the Philippines has three border crossing stations located in Mindanao. These are located in Tawi-Tawi, Balut Island in Davao Occidental, and Tibanban in Gov. Generoso, Davao Oriental.
Increasing the border crossing stations will provide a system for closely monitoring the entry and exit of the nationals of both countries with the involvement of the immigration, quarantine and customs bureaus.
The committees also agreed to look into measures to improve the safe passage of Filipinos and Indonesian nationals in the border areas like the fishermen in order to contribute in the uplifting of their economic well-being while assuring their protection en route to the fishing grounds at high seas.
Setiyono said there was also mutual respect to protecting Filipino and Indonesian fishermen who drifted into respective country’s sea grounds.
He, however, reminded fishermen of both countries about the law of the Sea.
Setiyono said fishermen would be allowed to pass Indonesian waters but they were still not allowed to use fishing gears in Indonesian waters.
Madrigal said the conference would also jumpstart the review of the 1975 Border Patrol and Border Crossing Agreements to improve maritime security co-operation between the two countries.
Madrigal and Setiyono lauded the two-day conference with more cordiality.
The two-day conference was aimed at reviewing issues and to develop recommendations for the enhancement of mutual cross-border cooperation and sustainable maritime defense and security cooperation amenable to both countries, particularly in the Celebes Sea. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
