21 September 2016 — Philippine Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Meynardo LB. Montealegre attended the send-off ceremony for the 13th batch of Brunei’s contingent to the International Monitoring Team (IMT) in Mindanao on September 15 and the welcoming ceremony for the 12th batch of Brunei’s IMT contingent on September 16 respectively held at the Royal Brunei Air Force Base in Rimba.
The send-off ceremony for Brunei’s 13th IMT contingent (IMT-13) was graced by Deputy Defence Minister First Admiral (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Abdul Aziz Hj Mohd Tamit who presented the national flag and IMT arm badge to members of the IMT-13.
IMT-13 is being headed by Lieutenant Colonel Abidin Hj Timbang and includes seven (7) Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel and a Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) officer.
The following day, the welcoming ceremony for Brunei’s 12th IMT contingent (IMT-12) was spearheaded by RBAF Commander Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Major General Dato Paduka Seri Mohd Tawih Abdullah. The IMT-12, comprised of eight RBAF personnel and one (1) from the RBPF who completed a 12-month tour-of-duty in Mindanao, was led by Lieutenant Colonel Azman bin Haji Bangkol.
Both events were also attended by RBPF Commissioner Dato Paduka Seri Hj Mohd Jammy Hj Muhd Shah Al-Islam; Datin Paduka Hjh Suriyah Hj Umar, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence (MinDef); and family members of the IMT contingents.
Brunei Darussalam deployed its first IMT team in October 2004. To date, the RBAF has sent more than 130 of its personnel to Mindanao for peace-monitoring missions and humanitarian relief operations. END
