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Friday, March 29, 2024

Zamboanga: Philippine Navy’s participation in TVE 21st SEACAT Exercise 2022 highlighted

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Zamboanga City – The Philippine Navy through Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) recently participated in the 10-day Multilateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) Exercise with 20 other Southeast Asian and European countries from August 16-26 2022.

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According to NFWM PAO, an exercise scenario was conducted in Sulu Sea within the NFWM Area of Operations participated by BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17), one of the PN’s 3 Weather High Endurance Cutter (WHEC) – type warships, PC-393, an AW-109 naval helicopter, Littoral Monitoring Stations situated in the Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan areas, and SEAL teams from NFWM.

The scenario emanated from the Multinational Operations Exercise Center, IFC, Changi Naval Base in Singapore. Allegedly, a vessel is travelling with criminals on board transporting with them illegal drugs contained in burlap sacks. Through the use of high-speed small boats, they will transfer the narcotics to larger vessels, which will bring them to foreign nations.

Given the scenario, a US Navy P8 Poseidon took off from Brunei to undertake maritime surveillance in the Sulu Sea. The aircraft then spotted a small boat in the vicinity of Sulu Sea which appeared transferring unidentified cargo to a bigger vessel. Suspecting that the boat and the ship are engaged in the narcotics trade, the reconnaissance plane requested the Philippine Navy’s assistance to intercept, board and confirm/deny if the vessel is carrying
narcotics.

Receiving the report, the Philippine Navy through Naval Forces Western Mindanao immediately dispatched its floating and air assets and NAVY SEAL Teams and conducted Maritime Interdiction Operations, Visit Board Search and Seizure, which led to the discovery and subsequent confiscation of the narcotics and the apprehension of the ship’s crew.

Captain Tom Ogden USN, Commander of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 said “These past two weeks have reiterated what we already knew, our nations and maritime forces are smarter and stronger when we share information and work together.”

“The in-person, multilateral collaboration exhibited in SEACAT has undoubtedly enhanced our relationships and promoted maritime security across the Indo-Pacific.” he added.

The US Planners extended their congratulations to the Philippine Navy for exerting effort in the conduct of SEACAT, especially in providing the Vessel of Interest (VOI) used for the exercise. Likewise, the Command Post Exercises (CPX) and Field Training Exercises (FTX) presentation of the PN’s participants in Singapore was applauded and congratulated.

(Source: Naval Forces, Western Mindanao (NFWM))

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