Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia Mull Joint Maritime Patrols
Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have agreed to conduct coordinated maritime patrols as part of a broader plan to tackle rising security challenges in the waters bordering the three countries, report local media.
This plan was sent in a joint statement following the trilateral meeting among Philippines' National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Malaysia Defense Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein and Indonesia Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu in Manila.
They also agreed in principle to have the armed forces of the three countries exercise greater coordination in conducting relevant security and maritime activities.
During the meeting, the three officials discussed the recent incidents of kidnappings and armed robbery at sea in common maritime areas.
“The Ministers agreed that the best practices shared by Malaysia and Indonesia on their experiences in the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) may be adopted as a model for trilateral cooperation to address common maritime security concerns,” the statement said.
Nearly 20 Indonesian and Malaysian tugboat crew have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, with Jakarta airing fears that the problem could reach levels seen off the coast of Somalia.
“The ministers also agreed for the armed forces and relevant agencies of these three countries to expedite the crafting and finalization of relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs),” the Philippines’ defense department said.