Negros Island Region (NIR) and other areas in the Visayas are still safe with no intelligence reports so far about the presence of terrorists, but different units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) want this status sustained.
This has led to the formation of the Joint Task Force Maritime Area Shield to counter terrorism and thwart terroristic attacks or kidnappings that will be resorted to by the enemy and it is also supporting the campaign against illegal drugs and other threats, said Capt. Jorge Ibarra, base commander of the Naval Forces based in Lapu-lapu City and at the same time commander of the Joint Task Force Deter stationed in Dumaguete City.
However, he said there is big possibility of spillover because Mindanao is being harassed and as a result of a continuing military operation, the Visayas region would be their possible go-to- place.
Capt. Ibarra stressed there is no place for them in his area of responsibility in the southern portion under Joint Task Force Deter and Task Force Protect based in Boracay in the northern portion.
Docked at the port of Dumaguete right now is BRP Batak (LC 299) as part of an official mission with a coastal patrol craft BRP BRP Abraham Campo (PG-396) skippered by Cmdr. Sales.
LC-299 is an amphibious vessel skippered by Cmdr. George Sumpay while his executive officer is Lt. Cmdr. Steve C. Morata.
Capt. Ibarra was in Dumaguete City today for a meeting with members of the Maritime Safety and Security Task Force created under Task Force Leon Kilat of the province, as co-chairman along with the Philippine Coast Guard-Dumaguete.
While in Dumaguete, BRP Batak will be open to the public including children to see for themselves the capabilities of the Philippine Navy that aside from its primary role of being an amphibious vessel that will transport military hardware and personnel during wartime, it can also be used to transport relief goods and construction materials during calamities directly to the beach front of which it is designed.
It has enough space for the movements of rolling cargoes, like tanks and army vehicles, among others.
BRP Batak had just delivered relief goods to earthquake victims in Surigao.
Lt Cmdr. Morata said their guns are functional and operational because one of their main functions is maritime security.
Meanwhile, officers of BRP Batak and the patrol craft paid a courtesy call on Governor Roel Degamo at his office at the Capitl, after which a tour was conducted for the governor.
The governor said the province is secured from terroristic activities with their presence, after a tour of the ship’s capabilities through a video presentation. (JFP/JG)
