Trilateral maritime drill held off the waters of Bataan
By Robina Asido
BATAAN- Philippine, United States and Japan coast guards conducted its maritime law enforcement and search and rescue drill off the waters of Bataan as part of ''Kaagapay 2023'' on Wednesday.
"The exercise was handled really well. Earlier the weather was really favorable to us. In a way, we actually expected bad weather because of the previous weather forecast,” Coast Guard Lt. Junior Grade Jherich An John Ybanez, PCG assistant spokesperson, told reporters in an interview onboard BRP Cabra.
“Now with all the preparations we had within the few days that we were here based on the execution, it (exercise) was flawless," he said.
Ybanez said the exercise was held 15.3 nautical miles away from Napo Point, Bataan.
"The purpose of this maritime drill is to increase the interoperability between the Philippines the United States and the Japan Coast Guard," he said.
"Just in case that there are scenarios where we need search and rescue or the vessels are nearby or can be deployed, then we can definitely deploy them faster since we already have these scenarios," he added as he stressed the importance of the exercise.
During the drill, the law enforcement team from PCG boarded BRP Melchora Aquino which was named MV Destroyer in the scenario where terrorists with weapons of mass destruction were onboard.
As part of the scenario, there were five individuals who jumped overboard during the gunfight between the law enforcers and the terrorists.
Following the maritime law enforcement operation where the terrorists were arrested, the JCG and USCG deployed their small boats to help the PCG in the search and rescue operation for the five-missing people.
The PCG and JCG also deployed their helicopters to assist in the search of the missing individuals.
Ybanez said around 500 personnel from JCG, PCG and USCG on board the Japan Patrol Vessel Akitsushima, USCG Cutter Stratton, BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Cabra, which carried media, and BRP Suluan ,which provided security within the vicinity of drill area, joined the exercises.
The PCG also expressed hope that this kind of drill will be done periodically.
"We're very happy and we hope that this exercise will increase our relationship with them so that our Coast Guard will get better and stronger and of course a little bit more cooperation between the coast guards of the three nations," he said.
''On behalf of the Philippine Coast Guard, Rear Admiral Armando Balilo, PCG spokesman said Admiral (Artemio) Abu would like to express his gratitude for these trilateral exercise with United States Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard'”, he said.
“There is really a need to have this kind of exercise because were able to focus on shared responsibility to advance professional skills and knowledge of the participants, to enhance their interoperability when it comes to maritime safety and maritime security,” Ybanez said.
Ybanez said the seven-day trilateral maritime exercise between the three countries coast guards will conclude in an assessment on Wednesday before they leave Manila in the afternoon of the same day. DMS
