PCG eyes putting up own forensics unit

MANILA, Philippines — With the help of its counterparts from Japan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) plans to put up its own forensic unit to beef up its capability to enforce maritime laws.

Four PCG officers, led by Lieutenant Junior Grade Christian Michael Marcelo and Ensign Jose Leonardo Robledo from the agency’s investigation and detection management services, attended a program funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Kitakyushu and Tokyo from Nov. 6 to 21, the PCG said in a statement.

They “exchanged knowledge” with the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) “to gain insights into their forensic expertise, which included photography, fingerprinting, digital forensics, and the evaluation of paint flakes.”

Aside from lectures and trainings on forensic techniques and equipment, the PCG officers – accompanied by a representative from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency – visited facilities of the JCG like the MOJI School, Kitakyushu Air Station, patrol vessel Kikuchi and the research center, as well as the JICA headquarters.

The training would help PCG personnel “develop expertise in gathering evidence and conducting on-site investigations, both of which are essential for the PCG Maritime Law Enforcement function to be carried out effectively,” the agency said.

It would also pave way for the creation of a “future Forensic Unit within the Coast Guard investigation and detection management service,” the PCG noted.