IMMIGRATION INTELLIGENCE RISK
ASSESMENT
of
THE SULU SEA REGION
JEROME T. GABIONZA
Deputy Chief / Head Operations
Intelligence Division
Bureau of Immigration
THE SULU SEA REGION:
 A.1
 A.2
 A.3
 A.4
 A.5
PIRACY
MARITIME TERRORISM
TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS
A. CHALLENGES
REFUGEES AND ILLEGAL MIGRATION
PROTECTING ENERGY ROUTES AND MARINE LIFE
B. ASSESSMENT OF THE SULU SEA
 B.1
Located in Southwestern Philippine, the Sulu Sea is a 100,000square
mile body of water bounded to the Northwest by Palawan
Province, to the Southeast by the Sulu Archipelago and to the South
west of the
Eastern Malaysian State of Sabah.
 B.2 It is pare of a vast maritime area commonly referred to as a Triborder
area composed of the Celebes Sea and the Sulu Sea;
What divides the two (2) seas is a string of Islands known as the Sulu
Archipelago made up of the provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu and Basilan
that are component political units of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and operational base of the MNLF, MILF
and Abu Sayyap (ASG)
 B.3 A great portion of the Sulu Sea is located within the Philippines
are of
jurisdiction within which may also be found the
Tubbataha Reef marine
Park, a World Heritage Site comprising
32,000 hectares, the Turtle
Islands, offshore from Northern Sabah,
which was established for
conservation of Turtles in a bi-national
agreement of the Philippines and
Malaysia,
and
the
Island
Municipality of Mapun known as Cagayan
de Tawi-Tawi.
 B.4 Except for Turtle Island, Mapun and a group of small islands
northeast
of the Tubbataha Reef, the vast expense of the Sulu Sea is
practically an ungoverned maritime space.
 B.5 The Sulu Sea is rich in national resources and marine life.
Securing its sea lanes is a work in progress.
C. THREATS IN THE PHILIPPINE FACES IN THE SULU SEA
 C.1
A study conducted in 2007 point to the fact that the Philippine
land areas bordering the Sulu Sea, particularly the Sulu Archipelago, is
characterized by high level of poor governance, corruption,
poverty and unemployment.
 C.2 In addition, Mindanao has been besieged for the last five (5)
decades by
separatist conflicts and insurgency (resulting in tens of
thousands of death, dislocation and forced migration) such that the
Sulu Sea has become notorious for illegal maritime activities such as
piracy,
smuggling,
trafficking
in
persons,
guns and
illegalnarcotics.
 C.3 The deteriorating situation in the Sulu Sea are aggravated by lack
of
state presence and capacity, poor governance, economic and
political
marginalization.
 C.4
Potential base of operations for both transnational criminals and
terrorist similar to the coastlines of Somalia.
D. GROUPS KNOWN TO BE MISUSING THE SULU SEA
 D.1





Traditional Commercial Traders and Smugglers.
D.2 Ordinary Pirates and Bandits
D.3 The MILF;
D.4 The Abu Sayyap ( of the kidnapping and Sipadan Raid Frame)
D.5 Human Traffickers exiting from the Sulu Archipelago bound for
Sabah
and other destinations
D.6 Illegal Fishermen using dynamites, cyanides
E. CURRENT STATE OF COOPERATION WITH REGIONAL
PARTNERS:
 E.1
and
 E.2
The BIMP- East Asia Growth Area (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia
Philippines);
Philippines and Indonesia



 E.3
On going border crossing talk (designation of Border crossing stations)
Four (4) coordinated patrols annually in the Celebes Sea.
Agreement to these patrols a year.
Philippines and Malaysia


Two (2) coordinated patrols a year.
(NB: Philippine proposal for year-round coordinated naval patrols as
well as designated sea lanes for all maritime traffic to facilitate easier
monitoring and inspection by the three navies not yet acted upon)
 E.4 Philippines announced a program called Coast Watch South to
enhance
the Philippine Navy’s ability to conduct surveillance and
interdiction of
the security threats in the country’s Southern
“backdoor” developed with help from Australia, the concept envisages
the establishment of 19
Coast Watch stations from Palawan to
Davao equipped with fast patrol
boats and helicopters at an
estimated cost $380 Million. The U.S. has
reportedly pledge $20
million.
F. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING RELATIONSHIPS AND
COVERAGE OF THE AREA
 F.1
Increase frequency of joint Patrol in the Sulu and Celebes Sea
with invitation to the extended to Brunei and Singapore to participate.
Desired Results: (1) improved security in the Triborder Area; (2)
confidence building; (3) improve interoperability; (4) Lay the
groundwork for the evolution of the Asean Security Community.
 F.2
Address the core reason for maritime crimes. i.e. socio-economic
conditions of shoreline communities and issues governance
 F.3
Conflict Resolutions
 F.4
Regional Funding and Cooperation on the Coast Watch South
project
of the Philippines.
THANK YOU! 