Military delegates from Indonesian naval forces have docked at Sasa port in Philippines' Davao City to unroll the carpet for the week-long joint border patrol activities at the maritime border between the two countries.
Philippines reception team was led by Regional Navy spokesperson Lt. James Reyes, who said that the joint patrol aims at strengthening the maritime security patrol in their respective boundaries to prevent piracy, smuggling and hi-jacking activities.
Reyes was also joined by Indonesia Consul General Berlian Napitulu who told journalists that the arrival of Indonesia navy is already a part of the implementation of the border agreement.
It was also revealed that a part of the coordinated patrol will include a medical mission in Balut Island and patients can avail free medical assistance.
The joint Philippine-Indonesia coordinated patrol will have a short military ceremony in the morning of July 4 at Felix Apolinaro Naval Station in Panacan, Davao City but the Patrol will officially on 6 July and is expected to culminate on 12 June with the closing ceremony taking place in Manado in Indonesia.
The coordinated patrol took place after the Indonesia defense department announced last month that there are 1,200 ISIS fighters residing in Philippines and 40 of them are Indonesian.
Indonesia joined the patrols with the Philippines also to send out a warning message to the Abu Sayyaf militant group, who has been abducting Indonesian sailors near the border. Both the nations believe that the joint naval patrol will eventually prevent maritime piracy.
