Philippine Navy Acquires USCGC Hamilton

Philippine Embassy-USA, Friday, May 13, 2011

Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. (8th from the right) and Consul General Marciano A. Paynor, Jr. (8th from the left) together with Philippine Navy officers and crew aboard the newly-acquired vessel.

13 May 2011, Washington DC. Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr. formally accepted the transfer today of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Hamilton Cutter during formal ceremonies held in Alameda, California. Ambassador Cuisia was accompanied at the ceremony by Consul General Marciano A. Paynor Jr., Captain Antonio A. Habulan of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, and Colonel Edwin Erni of the Philippine National Police Office in San Francisco. Vice Admiral Manson Brown, Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area and Defense Force West, signed the transfer documents for the U.S. government.

Shows the ship flying the Philippine flag.

In his remarks during the transfer ceremony, Ambassador Cuisia noted that the success of the project is an indication of the robust Philippine-U.S. partnership and serves as an expression of the U.S.’ commitment to help the Philippines protect its maritime domain.

The cutter will officially become the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, with Captain Alberto Cruz at the helm. He is part of a group of eight officers and thirteen enlisted personnel from the Philippine Navy, who are currently undergoing training with the U.S. Coast Guard.

The U.S. Coast Guard is an important component in Philippine-U.S. defense and security cooperation. The Philippine Navy has acquired other vessels from the U.S. Coast Guard in the past, including two 82-foot patrol boats, the USCG Point Evans and USCG Point Doran, whose transfers were effected in December 1999 and March 2001, respectively. Moreover, the U.S. international cadet program benefits students from the Philippines who train and interact with other students at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy located in New London, Connecticut.

Philippineembassy-usa.org

Al-Qaida suspects hiding in Philippines

UPI Asia, Friday, May 13, 2011

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines, May 13 (UPI) -- Military officials say at least five suspected terrorists who had links to al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden are in hiding in the southern Philippines.

Lt. Col. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer Thursday the group's "primary interest here is to train local contacts on bomb-making. Now there are reports they are highly mobile and trying to blend in the communities."

Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, commander of the Philippine Navy, said U.S.-trained engineer Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, a Malaysian who reportedly trains the Abu Sayyaf guerillas in bomb-making techniques, is at the top of the list.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines intensified its intelligence operation to locate these terrorists," Pama said.

Pama said another foreign terrorist hiding in Mindanao is known only as Mauwiyah.

Brig. Gen. Eugenio Clemen, vice commandant of the Philippine Marines, said Mauwiyah was last reported to be in Sulu.

"We gathered that he managed to blend in the community and the last report we got is that this terrorist is engaged in seaweed farming in Sulu," Clemen said. "Our intelligence operatives are tracking his exact whereabouts but [the] latest report indicated he is still in Sulu."

Bin Laden was killed May 2 by a U.S. force in Pakistan. His death could trigger renewed activity by the terrorists hiding in the Philippines, Pama said.

Cabangbang said the military has renewed its efforts to capture the suspected terrorists. He identified the others as Indonesians known only as Saad and Qayyim and Amin Baco, a Malaysian.

upiasia.com

5 bin Laden-linked terrorists still in southern Philippines, says military

By Julie Alipala

Yahoo News, Friday, May 13, 2011

Zamboanga City (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - At least five foreigners with links to the slain terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden continue hiding in the southern Philippines, military officials said Thursday.

Vice Admiral Alexander Pama, commander of the Philippine Navy, said topping the list of foreign terrorists in Mindanao was US-trained engineer Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan, a Malaysian who reportedly trains the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu in bomb-making techniques.

"The Armed Forces of the Philippines intensified its intelligence operation to locate these terrorists," Pama said during a visit here.

He said Bin Hir stayed in Tipo-tipo, Basilan, where he worked with Abu Sayyaf leader Khair Mundos, before moving to Sulu.

Pama said another foreign terrorist hiding in Mindanao was known only as Mauwiyah.

Brigadier General Eugenio Clemen, Philippine Marines vice commandant, said Mauwiyah, a Singaporean married to a Tausug, was last reported to be in Sulu.

"We gathered that he managed to blend in the community and the last report we got is that this terrorist is engaged in seaweed farming in Sulu,” Clemen said. “Our intelligence operatives are tracking his exact whereabouts but latest report indicated he is still in Sulu."

Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command, identified the three other foreign terror suspects as Indonesians Saad and Qayyim; and Amin Baco, a Malaysian.

"Their primary interest here is to train local contacts on bomb-making," Cabangbang said. "Now there are reports they are highly mobile and trying to blend in the communities."

Pama said Bin Laden’s death could trigger renewed activities by these suspected foreign terrorists.

Cabangbang said an intensified manhunt has been launched for the capture of the foreigners.

The southern Philippines has been suspected of hosting foreign terrorists since the early 1990s, but their presence was verified only with the arrest in January 2002 of Jemaah Islamiyah operative Fathur Rohman Al-Ghozi, the alleged engineer of the 2000 Rizal Day bombing, Cabangbang said.

It was Al-Ghozi who provided rich information on JI activities in Mindanao. On July 14, 2003, he managed to escape from jail and fled anew to Mindanao. He was killed by security forces in October that year in Pigkawayan, North Cotabato.

Like Al-Ghozi, Omar Patek, another Indonesian JI member hid in Mindanao, according to Cabangbang. Patek provided training to the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu and Basilan.

He was also reportedly responsible for providing bomb-making expertise to the group of Basit Usman, who was blamed for a series of bomb attacks in Central Mindanao. Usman is being linked to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front although the rebel group has repeatedly denied any association with him.

Patek was eventually arrested last March in Abbotabad, Pakistan, the same place where Bin Laden was killed.

ph.news.yahoo.com

Philippine Navy bent on buying submarine

Abs-Cbn News, Thursday, May 12, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Navy is planning to purchase its first ever submarine.

In a phone patch, Navy Philippine Fleet spokesman Lt. Rommel Rodriguez told reporters that experts are now meeting with international counterparts to assess the plan’s feasibility.

He said the Navy may acquire the submarine not later than 2020, depending on the political and administrative atmosphere.

"Right now, there are studies that are being undertaken. There are researches right now that involves submarine," Rodriguez said. He noted the study, conducted by the fleet’s office of plans and programs under Lt. Cmdr. Merlito Martinez, is upon orders from Rear Admiral Jose Luis Alano.

Rodriguez, however, noted that purchasing one would require billions of dollars.

"But since the Navy is geared towards Vision 2020, he wants to come up with a team, there is already a team that is conducting this studies and this studies will determine what capabilities do we need, where can we get this vessel or this submarine, what are the alternatives we have to be able to fund it, or how long will it take," he added.

He said the Navy needs to patrol the country’s territorial waters undetected, thus the need for a submarine.

"The amount may seem impossible for now but definitely we are taking a step forward because the President is (bent on) improving our naval capability. That is why, we are undertaking this study…We are taking a step forward, we are taking a step further," he said.

"It will be better (if we have a submarine) in patrolling our seas because when you have a submarine, it is physically invisible…We will be able to track those violating our maritime laws without them noticing us," said Rodriguez.

The assessment will first be presented to Navy officials before being submitted to the Armed Forces of the Philippine General Headquarters and the Department of National Defense.

Meanwhile, Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. is due to receive tomorrow a Hamilton class ship that the country had purchased from the US Coast Guard. The military spent P1.2 billion for it.

Rodriguez said a team from the Navy is now in California to undergo training to operate the ship. They will set sail in July and will probably arrive in August.

The ship may be deployed to Palawan, which should be patrolled because of oil interest in the area.

abs-cbnnews.com