RENEWED MILITARY COOPERATION. Indonesia’s Commander in Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono and the Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa sign the Military Cooperation framework Monday in Davao City. Part of the agreement is the military joint training “to fight against terrorist groups operation in North Sulawesi and Mindanao.” (davaotoday.com photo by Mick M. Basa)
Indonesian Consul General to the Philippines, Eko Hartono, said the latest Philippines-Indonesia Military Cooperation (Philindo MC), which is a joint training of the two countries’ air forces, navy and the army is aimed “to fight terrorist groups” known to have been operating in North Sulawesi and Mindanao which are considered a common border to both countries.
By MICK M. BASA
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Philippines and Indonesian governments have renewed its military cooperation in North Sulawesi and Mindanao.
Indonesian Consul General to the Philippines, Eko Hartono, said the latest Philippines-Indonesia Military Cooperation (Philindo MC), which is a joint training of the two countries’ air forces, navy and the army is aimed “to fight terrorist groups” known to have been operating in such areas which are considered a common border to both countries.
The Philindo MC framework agreement was signed Monday by Admiral Agus Suhartono, Indonesia’s military commander-in-chief and General Jessie Dellosa, chief-of-staff of the Philippine Armed Forces at the Eastern Mindanao Command headquarters in Davao City.
The Indonesian government has also turned over 4 tonnes of humanitarian assistance and USD 1 million worth of financial aid for the Philippines typhoon Bopha victims at the ceremony.
“This has been our concern on how to improve our military cooperation,” Hartono told reporters at the sidelines of the agreement signing.
Both governments have constantly renewed its cooperation to curb illegal activities along their common border. Keeping watch along the border for “terrorists and illegal fishermen,” the first cooperation deal was forged in 1975.
Hartono said both governments need to secure the border to keep watch on “transnational organized crimes.”
Last month, a suspected member of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) from Indonesia was reportedly killed in a clash between Philippine arresting authorities in Marawi City.
In January, the Philippine military claimed to have killed, alleged two key JI leaders, Zulfikli bin Hir and Mohammad Ali.
JI, a “Southeast Asian militant Islamist organization” is said to have a growing network in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. (Mick M. Basa/davaotoday.com)
