THE planned joint military training among the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia will help fight homegrown terrorism and piracy as well as lead to improved trade in a vital sealane where more than 100,000 vessels pass every year, a congressman said on Saturday. Citing reports quoting Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu, Villafuerte said each of the countries would first begin its own army personnel training in January 2017 before conducting the joint training later in the year. The move also forms part of the actions taken by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to secure the region. Asean groups the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, along with Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam. Thus, this trilateral military training exercises will go a long way in not only improving peace and order in Mindanao, but also in revving up trade and commerce in the South,” Villafuerte said.

Source: The Standard November 26, 2016 14:26 UTC