PH trains with US, neighbors on maritime arrest techniques

MANILA, Philippines — Coast guard officers and maritime law enforcers from the Philippines, the United States, Vietnam, and Indonesia trained together on techniques for boarding vessels and making arrests at sea during a two-week course held in Davao City earlier this month.

The training, from Jan. 13 to 24, was intended to strengthen the cooperation among maritime law enforcement agencies in the region, the US Embassy in Manila said on Monday.

The training comes in the wake of continued incursions and harassment by Chinese ships in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost entirely, including waters within the 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Manila and other claimants.

READ: Senators call for ‘proactive response’ to China’s incursions in WPS

Not a claimant state

China has seized control of some disputed features from the Philippines and deployed maritime militia, oil rigs ,and fishing fleets into the EEZ of its neighbors, including Vietnam and Indonesia.

READ: China’s ‘monster ship’ off Zambales an act of aggression – NSC

Indonesia says it is not a claimant state in the South China Sea but rejects China’s claim to the waters around the Natuna Islands, which are within Jakarta’s EEZ and continental shelf.

The course, funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, featured US-trained Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) instructors and instructors from the US Coast Guard and Vietnam Customs, who guided participants in safely conducting vessel boardings at sea.

Other topics were maritime law, evidence collection and preservation, safety and risk mitigation, and arresting techniques.

“US expertise, resources, and guidance are invaluable in ensuring that we are better equipped to address maritime threats,” Commodore Rejard Marfe, commander of Coast Guard District Southeastern Mindanao, said.

“Together, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that our maritime sovereignty remains a zone of peace, safety and prosperity for all,” he added.

The 32 participants came from the PCG, the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, the Vietnam Coast Guard, the Vietnam Customs Anti-Smuggling and Investigations Department, the Vietnam Department of Fisheries Surveillance, and the Indonesia Coast Guard.

The Australian Border Force also observed the first week of activities.

Chinese ships linger

Meanwhile, Chinese coast guard vessels continued to linger off Zambales on Sunday.

According to the PCG, the China Coast Guard (CCG) deployed another vessel, CCG-3304, “at a distance” to support CCG-3103 and the so-called “monster ship” CCG-5901.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the vessels remained at 167 to 185 km (90 to 100 nautical miles) away from the shore, as the BRP Cabra prevented them “from advancing closer to the coast of Zambales.”