CGIF marks 51st year
Cites role in protecting WPS
THE Coast Guard Intelligence Force (CGIF) is celebrating its successes in intelligence and counterintelligence operations over the past years as it marked its 51st anniversary on December 7, 2022.
Coast Guard Captain Jimmy Oliver P. Vingno, MPSA led the CGIF’s celebration at the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Gymnasium in Coast Guard Base Farola, Manila. The event was attended by PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio M. Abu.
“The celebration of CGIF’s 51st year was centered on the successes of the Force’s unwavering intelligence and counterintelligence operations, especially in protecting the country’s maritime domains from both internal and external threats,” Vingno said.
Over the years, the CGIF has played a significant role in protecting the West Philippine Sea (WPS), providing crucial information to the PCG and other relevant agencies like the National Coast Watch Center, the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, as well as the country’s lawmakers and other stakeholders.
The CGIF’s operatives have also apprehended several high-value smuggled products; illegal drugs; Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing; illegal transportation of forest products, among others.
The PCG, through its CGIF, is also active in joint law enforcement operations with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), which have resulted in the voluntary surrender of communist rebels to the folds of the law.
Vingno assured the public that the CGIF will also boost the operations of its Cybersecurity and Drug Enforcement Units amid the growing maritime domain threats and drug-related problems.
“The CGIF is continuously adapting to the changing world and constantly coping with the demands of time,” he said.
The CGIF also extended its gratitude to the other organizations that have helped it carry out its mission, including the AFP and the PNP, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Interpol, Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Joint US Military Assistant Group, and other concerned agencies.
“In these very dynamic and challenging times, as the country sails toward a world-class maritime country, the CGIF is indeed the unseen foundation that ensures the integrity and strength of the PCG as it fulfills its ever-expanding mandates,” Vingno said.
