PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR WELCOMES PHILIPPINE NAVY AND ROYAL BRUNEI NAVY FOR THE CONDUCT OF EXERCISE SEAGULL  

18 September 2007—Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam H.E. Virginia H. Benavidez reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Philippine Navy headed by its Exercise Director Commodore Feliciano A. Angue and the Brunei Royal Navy led by Fleet Commander Col. Roslan bin Dato Paduka Haji Yaakub conducted a week-long bilateral exercise “SEAGULL 03/2007” in Brunei waters on 2-10 September 2007.  About one hundred (100) Philippine Navy personnel, one Naval Special Operations Unit team and one hundred twenty (120) Royal Brunei Navy personnel participated in the Harbor Phase and Sea Phase exercises intended to enhance operation, procedural and tactical cooperation, interoperability on combined naval operations and skills capability to combat sea-borne terrorism threats and transitional crimes at sea.  Philippine Navy ships, BRP Rizal, PS 74 (Mine Sweeper) and BRP Federico Martir PG 385 (Patrol Gunboat) and Royal Brunei Navy Ships KDB Pejung PO3, KDB Seteria PO4, KDP Perwira P14 and KDB Peyerang P16 saw action in drills and exercises related to mine clearance, underwater operations, replenishment at sea, night encounter exercise, boarding exercise and other naval tactical exercises.  Commodore Feliciano Angue and Rear Admiral Petronilo Magno attended the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, respectively.  

Ambassador Virginia H. Benavidez and Philippine Embassy Officers were present during the welcome reception hosted by the Philippine Navy at the Royal Brunei Navy Jetty on 4 November 2007 and the dinners hosted by the Commander of the Royal Brunei Navy Col. Dato Paduka Haji Joharie bin Haji Metussin on 3 September and 7 September 2007.  Ambassador Benavidez also joined the golf tournament organized by the Royal Brunei Navy on 8 September 2007.  

During the dinner hosted by Ambassador Benavidez at the “Ang Bahay”, Philippine Ambassador’s Residence, in honor of Commander Angue and Rear Admiral Magno on 5 September 2007 and 10 September 2007, respectively, she highlighted the importance of Exercise SEAGULL both in promoting closer partnership and collaboration between the Philippines and Brunei navies especially during these challenging times and deepening the camaraderie, goodwill and friendship between the two countries.  “If we go back to our shared history, we can see that the seas and the bodies of water between the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam were the main channels for flourishing trade, business contacts and military cooperation between our two countries.  Just like the seagull, commonly known as a very protective bird of the seas, may the bilateral exercises undertaken by our two navies every other year soar even higher and continue to grow from strength to strength”, Ambassador Benavidez stated.  

The first SEAGULL Exercise was held in Brunei Darussalam in 2003, followed by the second one in Cebu and Palawan in 2005 and back to Brunei in 2007.  The next SEAGULL Exercise will be conducted in the Philippines in 2009. END

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