THE UNITED States has concluded a two-year training with Philippine security and maritime forces, aimed at enhancing capability to counter criminal and terrorist networks that threaten peace and security in the southeast Asian country, the US Embassy in Manila said.
“We are proud of the participants’ accomplishments in gaining a diverse set of analytic and critical thinking approaches to counter these complex networks,” said Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Partner Engagement Division Educational Strategies Lead Mila Nieves.
“They are well prepared to pass these skills on to their counterparts.”
The Counter Threat Network operational exchange and capacity building program included six analytic workshops and exchanges, participated in by intelligence personnel from the Armed Forces Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the National Coast Watch Center (NCWC).
“With this activity, participants were able to establish networks and exchange knowledge and skills in achieving a common goal,” said NCWC Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey Abasolo.
The training covered best practices on understanding and engaging networks of violent extremist organizations, insurgent groups, and criminal entities.
The US Embassy said “these efforts are part of a broader security cooperation agreement established to enhance the integration of intelligence and operations against threat networks in a multidomain environment.”
“After six different workshops and over one hundred student interactions, we can say that we have shared a mutually beneficial learning experience where both countries have gained from the interaction and improved their ability to operate together to prevent and reduce threats,” DTRA Partner Engagement Division Chief Steve Greene said.
“We look forward to continued opportunities for collaboration,” he added. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan
