June 3, 2007:
The Philippines has organized two
Special Forces riverine companies in the last year, each with 120 troops and
over a dozen boats of various sizes. A third company is now being formed, with
the help of 40 boats being donated by Australia. The three riverine companies
also operate along the vast coastlines of the dozens of inhabited islands that
comprise the Philippines. Terrorists, and criminals, have increasingly been
using speedboats, and more mundane craft, to move along coasts and between
islands. The Special Forces companies have well trained troops, good
communications, night vision gear and weapons that can stop the night movements
of the enemy. The riverine companies have made use of water transport much more
difficult for Islamic terrorists and smugglers.