Naval forces: Wanted in Zamboanga Peninsula

(Published in Zamboanga Today on January 27, 2008.)

The creation of a naval detachment in Tabawan Island, South Ubian, Tawi-Tawi Province by the Naval Forces of Western Mindanao under the command of Rear Admiral Emilio Macaraeg, Jr. deserves a commendable salute.

However, some sectors react that this decision should have been done years ago.

The presence of naval forces to guard coastlines and marine waters is very important. The territorial seas are the frontiers of the Philippine Archipelago, and the Philippine Navy here in the south should be an empowered armed forces.

But why only in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi? There are similar areas that have been long-neglected by the Philippine Armed Forces, and these are the coastal municipalities in Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur. Ironically, the Philippine military do not need to be told again and again that these are the three provinces where their presence is very much needed.

The deployment of navies and marine forces and establishment of detachments and check-points in significant areas in the said provinces could very well help minimize the security problems in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Even in information dissemination in the fight against terrorism, the military has been remiss and slow-to-respond when these two provinces are mentioned. Worse, community service projects in the three provinces adjacent to Zamboanga City are not too many because of the fear developed by volunteers and even residents in going to coastal communities.

We hope to see more action from the Navy. While we appreciate seeing the navies getting busy distributing wheelchairs, we also hope that they could provide more security assistance to these areas where the most wanted terrorists in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi also take refuge and undergo militant training. If we are, after all, to assess defense measures in these naval territories, we would end up wondering where even as basic as their presence is.

Naval presence is vital, not only in Tabawan in Tawi-Tawi—ditto, in Payao, in Tungawan, in Ipil, in Naga, in R. T. Lim, all in Zamboanga Sibugay; in Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon, and Balaguian, all in Zamboanga del Norte; and in Labangan, San Pablo, Pagadian, Dumalinao, Dinas, and Dimataling, all in Zamboanga del Sur.

If in Tawi-Tawi, we find visibility of naval forces, when do we find naval force presence in the Zamboanga Peninsula other than Zamboanga City?

Zamboanga shall keep on hoping that its commander-in-chief or the Army-borne chief of staff of the AFP will consider this. After all, the security of these three provinces affects that of Zamboanga's. (Frencie L. Carreon)