Indonesian govt not to tolerate vessels going to Philippines

Balikpapan, E Kalimantan (Antara Bali) - The Transportation Ministry will not tolerate that any vessels from the country should go to the Philippines, notwithstanding the guarantee from the neighboring nation.

"We cannot allow a vessel to sail despite the guarantee," Sea Transportation Director General A Tonny Budiono of the Transportation Ministry said here on Monday.

However, a permit could be issued only if Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agree to joint patrolling.

"If there is a joint patrolling system involving the three countries, then we can (allow the vessels to travel to Philippines)," he added.

The ministrys Secretary General, Sugihardjo, affirmed that if the Philippines wants Indonesian vessels to go to that country, its authorities should guard the vessels while on their way to and from the Philippines.

The latest hostage crisis occurred when Indonesias vessel was on its way back from the Philippines.

He, however, believed that the agreement among the three countries was the best way.

The governments decision to ban vessels from sailing to the Philippines would prove more disadvantageous for the neighboring nation since 90 percent of its energy resources come from Indonesia, he noted.

"We understand the neighboring countrys need, but for us, the most important thing is the safety of our crews," he reiterated.

In the latest hostage-taking incident, seven sailors of tugboat Charles from Indonesia were abducted by the Abu Sayyaf group.

The information came from one of the hostages who had called his wife.

The kidnappers have asked for a ransom of Rp20 million ringgits or around Rp60 billion, and threatened to kill the hostages if it was not paid.

The Indonesian government has banned vessels flying Indonesias flag from sailing to the Philippines following the latest hostage incident.

The Transportation Ministry issued a sailing notice no. 130/VI/DN-16, dated June 24, 2016, to the harbor masters, ordering them not to issue permits to Indonesian-flagged vessels intending to sail to the Philippines, the ministrys sea transportation director general said on Friday.

The seaport masters have been strictly ordered not to issue permits for the Philippines-bound vessels without any exception.

The ministry also ordered the navigation district officials to anticipate similar incidents in the future and closely monitor Indonesian waters close to the Philippines.

"Hijacking is a serious crime that cannot be tolerated. Therefore, I have asked every district navigation head to instruct every coastal operational radio station (SROP) to monitor and relay as early as possible if there is any indication of danger," Boediono stressed.

The ministry has also called for intensified water patrolling.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has condemned the hostage-taking incident that has happened once again. In the latest incident, two armed groups in south Philippines took hostage crew members of Indonesian vessels on June 20, 2016.

"The Indonesian government strongly condemns the incident in which crew members of Indonesian ships were taken hostage by armed groups in the southern Philippines. We cannot tolerate it, as this is the third incident of its kind," Retno warned here on Friday.

Retno informed that the ministry had received confirmation on June 23, 2016 that seven Indonesian ship crew members of Tugboat Charles 001 and Barge Robby 152 had been taken hostage.

The minister disclosed that the incident occurred in two stages: first on June 20, 2016, at 11:30 a.m. local time and again at 12:45 p.m. local time in the Sulu Sea.(WDY)