We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
By: Zam Yusa
Kota Kinabalu: The Malaysian fisherman kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf last year was rescued in Sulu on Thursday but is in critical condition after being shot by the group, a Philippine military spokesman told Daily Express.
Jari Abdullah, 34, was abducted along with two Indonesians from their fishing boat in Pegasus Reef waters off Kinabatangan on Dec 6.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: dailyexpress.com.my
By: Julie Alipala
ZAMBOANGA CITY—Kidnapping in the high seas, usually done by the bandit group Abu Sayyaf, has been scaring away poachers of rare and endangered species of turtles from Tawi-Tawi, an officer of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
Lt. Makaradat Uddin, PCG district commander in Tawi-Tawi, said poachers from Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian countries had been veering away from the Tawi-Tawi islands, including the Turtle Islands, the natural nesting ground for green sea turtles.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net
BY AL JACINTO
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government troops clashed with pro-Islamic State (IS) militant groups in Sulu, which killed an Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) fighter and wounded two police officers in separated encounters on Tuesday.
Officials said the fighting simultaneously erupted on Simisa Island off Banguingi town and in Patikul town.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: manilatimes.net
By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Eight Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits have surrendered to military authorities over the weekend as tactical offensives continue against the group in the province of Sulu, military officials said.
Brig. Gen. Divino Rey Pabayo Jr., Joint Task Force Sulu commander, said one of the eight surrendered around 2 p.m. Saturday to the Army’s 1101st Infantry Brigade. Pabayo said the ASG surrenderer, Misal Abdulwahid, 33, turned over an M-16 Armalite rifle to Col. Antonio Nafarete, 1101st Infantry Brigade commander.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: pna.gov.ph
By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has assigned one of its Boracay-class patrol vessel to the the Coast Guard District Southwestern Mindanao (CGDSWM) to boost the anti-smuggling campaign in this part of the country.
The vessel, BRP-Malamawi, will be jointly operated by the PCG and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to address the problems on smuggling, as well as piracy, drug trafficking and other illegal activities in the Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (ZamBaSulTa) areas.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: ptvnews.ph
By Francis Wakefield
Soldiers pursuing Abu Sayyaf militants found an arms cache in Patikul, Sulu on Tuesday, March 26.
Troops from the 13th Special Forces Company also retrieved from the Abu Sayyaf’s arms cache a 60mm mortar, two M16 rifles, bandoliers with magazines, IED paraphernalia, flags with ISIS markings, a military map, a handheld radio, and a night vision monocular in Barangay Bakong, Patikul at about 11 a.m.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: news.mb.com.ph
MANILA, Philippines — Three members of the Abu Sayyaf Group were believed to be killed in an encounter with the Philippine Marines in Sulu, the military said Monday.
Troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team-3 clashed with undetermined number of bandits under sub-leader Najir Arik in Simisa Island in Banguigui on Sunday, the Western Mindanao Command said.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net
By Francis Wakefield
Government troops seized a speed boat used by the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the island of Simisa, Sulu on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.
A military report disclosed that the relentless and continuous joint operation conducted by the Marine Battalion Landing Team – 3, Naval Task Group/Philippine Marine Ready Force – Sulu, and Joint Task Force-Sulu resulted in the recovery of the speedboat believed to be the “get-away” vessel of the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group in the island of Simisa, Sulu.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: news.mb.com.ph
The 13th Governing Council Meeting of the ReCAAP ISC was held on 19 to 22 March 2019 in Singapore, hosted by the Singapore Government. The Council reviewed the activities of ReCAAP ISC in FY2018 and deliberated on its activities for FY2019 and beyond. On 22 March 2019, the Open Session was held with External Participants comprising representatives from three countries and 13 organisations.
The Council commended ReCAAP ISC on producing positive results in respect to its activities in FY2018 under the three pillars of its mission, i.e., information sharing, capacity building and cooperative arrangement.
The Council reviewed the progress of the implementation of the Roadmap for the Future of ReCAAP ISC and appreciated the continued progress as well as new initiatives ReCAAP ISC has made under the Roadmap as a Centre of Excellence for information sharing.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: seanews.co.uk
Economic development in coastal communities will help stem the flow of illegal behavior.
By Jay Benson
Maritime insecurity in the Sulu and Celebes Seas is a persistent challenge. These waterways have recently been used to conduct incursions into Lahad Datu, orchestrate kidnap for ransom activities by militant groups such as Abu Sayyaf, and facilitate illegal wildlife trafficking. Governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia have responded with increased maritime enforcement capacity and presence, as well as enhanced international coordination. Although these are important efforts that need to be maintained, an exclusive focus on enforcement capacity risks ignoring an equally important facet of maritime insecurity: economic exclusion and inequality in coastal communities.
To continue reading, please click here.
Source: thediplomat.com
Maritime Security News 