ZAMBOANGA CITY(September 4) — The Philippine Navy has sent a Shaldag Mk V fast attack missile craft to Western Mindanao, strengthening Joint Task Force Poseidon’s ability to intercept threats and respond rapidly to security incidents across the Sulu and Celebes seas.
The BRP Herminigildo Yurong (PG-204), a Shaldag Mk V fast attack interdiction craft-missile (FAIC-M), will support maritime security operations in an area that includes Philippine waters along the country’s maritime borders with Malaysia and Indonesia.
The deployment gives JTF Poseidon one of the Navy’s fastest and most heavily armed patrol platforms as the task force tackles a mix of maritime threats, from smuggling and human trafficking to territorial-security concerns.
Beyond territorial defense, JTF Poseidon supports law enforcement agencies in countering illicit activities at sea and helps secure key sea lanes in the Sulu and Celebes seas.
The Shaldag Mk V is designed for high-speed maritime operations, coastal defense, interdiction and maritime security missions, allowing the Navy to rapidly pursue and intercept targets.
The Navy currently operates nine Shaldag Mk V FAIC-Ms, including one assembled locally in Cavite.
The deployment comes as Western Mindanao remains a strategically important maritime area, where commercial routes, fishing communities and international sea lanes converge across waters that are difficult to monitor because of their vastness and proximity to international borders.
JTF Poseidon was activated in June 2024 following the deactivation of Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi. The Philippine Coast Guard joined the task force later that year, strengthening coordination between military and civilian maritime law enforcement agencies.
Since its activation, the task force has handled both law enforcement and territorial-security missions.
In May 2026, JTF Poseidon led an interagency operation in Zamboanga City that rescued five suspected victims of human trafficking.
It has also figured in maritime encounters involving foreign military vessels.
In February 2025, Western Mindanao Command reported that JTF Poseidon deployed Philippine Navy vessels to challenge and shadow three Chinese naval vessels transiting Philippine waters.
The latest deployment consequently adds a high-speed interception and deterrence capability to the task force at a time when maritime operations in Western Mindanao increasingly span traditional law enforcement threats and broader territorial-defense concerns.
For the Navy, the challenge is not simply maintaining a visible presence across a vast maritime area but ensuring that its forces can close the distance quickly when suspicious vessels, trafficking activities, smuggling operations or foreign military movements are detected.
The deployment of the BRP Herminigildo Yurong underscores the growing role of fast attack craft in that mission, giving the Navy a mobile platform capable of shifting rapidly from patrol and surveillance to interception when maritime threats emerge.
