THE military on Wednesday confirmed that joint naval patrols by the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia will begin on June 19 to curb cross-border kidnappings for ransom by extremist groups in the high seas.
Armed Forces spokesman Restituto Padilla Jr. said the joint naval patrols would be officially launched in Tarakan, Indonesia, with the country’s top defense officials in attendance.
“The necessary protocols have been set and agreed and those will be the guiding regulations,” Padilla told reporters.
Malaysia likewise said joint air patrols between Indonesia and the Philippines might be launched in the future amid the increasing threats by the Islamic State group in the region.
“The Asean-level defense ministries are committed in dealing with the threats,” Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told state news agency Bernama.
“For that, we will launch the joint air patrols in Malaysian airspace after launching the joint sea patrols. This joint plan was proven a success when Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia were dealing with the piracy threat and other crimes in the Straits of Malaka at one point.”
The three countries are on high alert since ISIS-inspired groups in the country attempted to seize Marawi City.
Indonesia’s military chief, General Gatot Nurmantyo, warned that the ISIS threat in Southeast Asia might spread if the violence in Mindanao was not contained.
“It’s easy to jump from Marawi to Indonesia and we must all beware of sleeper cells being activated in Indonesia,” Nurmantyo said.
Said Army Major General Ganip Warsito: “If the Philippines wins, Indonesia would get a spill-over effect from the retreating militants, but if the Philippines loses, Mindanao would be a strong regional ISIS base that threatens Indonesia, among others.”
In early 2016, several Malaysians and Indonesians were captured in the Sulu Sea by the Abu Sayyaf group, which has strongholds in Sulu, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.
President Rodrigo Duterte had earlier asked the neighboring countries to help stop the Abu Sayyaf.
“We have to do something about this now and I need your help,” Duterte told Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their meeting last month.
