Lorenzana admits country has ”very poor border” security in the south

February 5, 2019

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted that the Philippines has “very poor border” security in its southern part.

Lorenzana said  foreign terrorists were able to enter the country as the military was not able to fully guard the waters at the southern border.

“The security implication there is we have a very poor border. We have to do more to secure our border. Now, the presence of all these nationalities I think was, when going back to Marawi, there were Moroccan, Chechnya nationals…,” he said.

Lorenzana emphasized the need to improve security at the southern border despite a trilateral patrol operation by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia to guard to the maritime border of the three states.

“In fact I was the one who signed that, the trilateral patrol with Indonesia and Malaysia and we did that in June of 2017 and another one sometime October. First was the maritime then the air patrol. It is ongoing and in fact we consider that as a very successful one because we have not had any kidnapping in the Sulu sea, Celebes sea for, since we signed (the agreement),” he said

“But guarding the borders of those, plying ships from Malaysia and, from Indonesia, from Kalimantan going to Sulu is difficult,” he added.

Lorenzana said the Philippine Navy is looking at the acquisition of fast boats government forces may use in patrolling the area.

“The Flag Officer-in-Command Admiral (Robert) Empedrad is asking me to purchase of 12 fast boats only to be used in the south. According to him, if he has those medium size fast boats that could guard our seas,” he said.

“Now if you consider Celebes, its very vast sea and a small boat travelling… it’s very difficult to see, so the challenge is how to control the cross strait crossing from the other side, from Malaysia and Indonesia to Philippines,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS