PH, Brunei armies OK amended defense deal terms

MANILA, Philippines—The armies of the Philippines and Brunei on Monday (Oct 25) signed amended terms of reference for a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Andres Centino, and the commander of Royal Brunei Land Forces, Brig. Gen. Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan held the signing ceremony online, the Philippine Army said.

Details of the amended terms of reference were not disclosed. But Centino said the Brunei-Philippines Army Working Group drew up 12 bilateral military cooperation and interaction deals for 2022.

“The Philippine Army is looking forward to the prospect of future collaborations and successful execution of our bilateral engagements that we have lined up for next year,” he said.

The Philippines and Brunei signed an MOU on defense cooperation in 2001. The terms of reference, which serves as a guide for the implementation of the MOU, was first signed in 2019.

Brunei is also part of the International Monitoring Team that oversees the enforcement of a truce between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

TSB