The United States turned over to the Philippine National Police P75 million worth of facilities including a ‘detachment’ and medical clinic at Barangay Taganak, Tawi-Tawi, which will serve as a booster to the security operations at the Southwestern sea border.
The facility will serve as Law Enforcement Center and Community Medical clinic was constructed sometime on 2012 and completed last March 2017, said the United States Embassy in a statement.
US Deputy Chief of Mission Michael S. Clecheski led the turn over rites witnessed by members of the PNP-Maritime Group and troops from the Philippine Marines.
“The facility is US government support to the Philippines objective to strengthen maritime public safety in the area,” US Embassy stated further.
The Law Enforcement Center in Taganak, Tawi-Tawi will provide a forward base of operations for the Philippine National Police 1st Maritime Special Operations Unit and the Philippine Marines to secure the Philippines’ southwestern sea border and also provide the first community medical facility in the Turtle Islands.
Over the past ten years, the U. S. have been supportive to the programs of the PNP specifically the Special Operations Unit-Maritime.
“Maritime public safety stretches to the coastal area of Palawan and the sea border with Malaysia. Since 2008, the US has donated 10 patrol boats and constructed two PNP Maritime Group headquarters facilities, one at Honda Bay, Puerto Princesa and one in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.” The Embassy furthered.
The US has also constructed outstations at Balabac, Palawan and Taganak, Tawi-Tawi, and a third outstation is currently under construction at Lantawan, Basilan.
In addition, US has provided extensive training and equipment to Maritime Group Special Operations Unit personnel.
The project is jointly managed by the U. S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs; the U. S. Department of Justice International Criminal Investigations Training Assistance Program; and the U. S. Department of Defense Pacific Command Joint Interagency Task Force West.