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THE PHILIPPINE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS, COMPOSED OF SOME OF THE COUNTRY’S RETIRED DIPLOMATS AND FOREIGN POLICY EXPERTS, PUSHED FOR JOINT BORDER PATROLS AND THE FORMATION OF MILITARY ZONES IN THE BIMP-EAGA REGION WHERE THE NAVIES OF FOUR OF THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES COULD WORK TOGETHER TO CRUSH THE ABU-SAYYAF MENACE.
ACCORDING TO PCFR PRESIDENT, FORMER AMBASSADOR JOSE ROMERO JR., THE BRUNEI-INDONESIA-MALAYSIA-PHILIPPINES EAST ASIA GROWTH AREA SHOULD BE SECURED WITH THE HELP OF THE NAVIES OF THESE FOUR COUNTRIES.
HE STRESSED THAT THE CONTROL OF THE BORDERS IN INDONESIA, THE PHILIPPINES AND MALAYSIA, WHERE THE ABU SAYYAF OPERATES SHOULD BE MADE A PRIORITY BY THE NAVIES OF THESE COUNTRIES TO DEFEAT THE TERRORIST GROUP WHICH HAD RECENTLY BEHEADED TWO CANADIANS, AND KIDNAPPED INDONESIAN SAILORS.
ROMERO STRESSED THAT ONLY WHEN THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP IS TOTALLY ELIMINATED CAN BUSINESS TRULY FLUORISH IN MINDANAO, WHICH IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE BIMP-EAGA REGION.
HE STRESSED HOW THE TERRORIST GROUP WITH ISIS LINKS WOULD JUST GET HOSTAGES IN THE WATERS OF MINDANAO, MALAYSIA – PARTICULARLY SABAH, AND EVEN IN BORDERS OF INDONESIA, TO SUSTAIN ITS ACTIVITIES WHERE THEY SEEK RANSOM FOR THEIR CAPTIVES TO FINANCE ITS OPERATIONS.
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