Indonesian, Malaysian troops end 3-day visit in Tawi-Tawi

Parcon said the delegate of the Royal Malaysian Navy is headed by Capt. Zahari Bin Samsuri and the Tentara Nacional Indonesia headed by Col. Nanan Isnandar. (Google maps)

ZAMBOANGA CITY— Indonesian and Malaysian troops covered by the Trilateral Cooperative Agreement (TCA) on Wednesday ended their three-day port visit in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

Brig. Gen. Custodio Parcon, Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi commander, said the visiting forces from the two countries aboard Navy frigates arrived on Monday at the Naval Station Juan Magluyan in Barangay Batu-Batu, Panglima Sugala municipality.

Parcon said the delegate of the Royal Malaysian Navy is headed by Capt. Zahari Bin Samsuri and the Tentara Nacional Indonesia headed by Col. Nanan Isnandar.

They were welcomed by the men and women of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi.

Parcon said the visiting Indonesian and Malaysian forces have engaged in series of activities in their three-day port visit from Monday until Wednesday.

This included a courtesy call to Tawi-Tawi Gov. Rashidin Matba at the provincial capitol.

On Tuesday, the visiting forces trekked the Bongao Peak where they shared a boodle fight type lunch with the Filipino troops.

They also joined in a series of goodwill games with the troops of the Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi in Panampangan Island on the same day.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the TCA “is part of our mechanisms to strengthen the maritime operations and curtail piracy and other crimes perpetrated by extremists through a limited trilateral patrol with Malaysian and Indonesian navy forces.”

“We will sustain our strong cooperation with our neighbors to address our security challenges in areas of common concerns,” Galvez added.

He said the consequential outcome of the cooperation would definitely curb smuggling, human trafficking, transshipment of drugs, piracy and high profile kidnapping.

“Surely, the commercial shipping corridors will be secured,” he pointed out.