PNG Defence Force (PNGDF)

In a statement, the PNGDF said six of the bodies have been identified, confirmed and buried.

This was confirmed after the two PNGDF Bell 202 helicopters were deployed on a medivac mission to Homa, Pawa villages in the Mansis LLG at Kutubu, to airlift 22 government workers and sick villagers that were affected by the earthquake over the weekend.

The four remains undug beside the mountains were identified as Henri Kiliape, Hengene Kila, Simon Andali and Sali Wawi.

PNGDF Commander, Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo, said PNGDF’s consultation with all the other security agencies have been ongoing over the last two years.

“Especially with PNGDF, we have closely worked together with Australia and New Zealand Defence Force to build our capacity, especially our special forces unit to counter any terrorist activities and we are really in the advanced stages.”

Toropo said the PNDGDF is well and truly prepared, adding that they have asked their counterparts, like Australia and New Zealand, to assist with their shortfalls.

The government through the 2013 Defence White Paper directs that the Papua New Guinea Defence Force increase its manpower from the current constitutionally mandated strength of 5,000 to 10,000 by the year 2030.

Although the PNG Constitution does not allow the PNGDF to recruit manpower of 10,000, the government is working on the legislation to accommodate the direction to increase the force as required.

Nevertheless, after successive recruitments, the force has now reached 4,000 personnel; a 2,000 manpower increase from previous years’ recruitments.

This was reiterated by the Minister for Defence during the launch of the Kumul Leadership Development Framework at Sogeri on Thursday.

Minister Solan Mirisim said the PNGDF have delivered a safe and trouble free election this year (2017).

“With this new leadership program now launched, we will not waste time and what we have not done, we will push for it to be done and dusted for a successful summit in 2018.”

He said the O’Neill-Abel government is focused on leadership and the PNGDF must take lead in this as well.

Joint Operations Commander Colonel Esekia Wenzel clarified that the two men sought leave prior to the May directive issued by the PNGDF Commander, stopping all personnel to apply for leave during the elections period.

Wenzel warned however that they did not get proper authorisation to be engaged in employment during their leave period.

He explains that this forms the basis of this morning’s directive by the office of the PNGDF Chief of staff for them to cease employment with the security firm they were attached with.

However, a directive issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff this morning has called for the two men employed with the S.O.S security firm to be disengaged from that employment.

The Joint Operations commander, Colonel Esekia Wenzel, says one of the men was on emergency leave en route to Kavieng but was taken in by police as he was in the same airplane that the group of men were on.

The other two defence men, despite being on approved leave, will need to cease employment with the S.O.S security service firm.

The centres will be located in Lae, Mount Hagen and Port Moresby.

Lae will coordinate the troops that will look after operations in the Momase and New Guinea Islands regions, Hagen will be to cater for the Highlands region while Port Moresby the Southern region troops.

Defense Force Chief of Joint Operations, Colonel Ezekiel Wenzel, tells Loop PNG that the deployed troops will be carrying out secondary duty to the police, who will be leading the operations.

While many of their training activities will take place at the military barracks, some will be held in public spaces, such as the Sir John Guise Stadium, or at local hotels or parks.

The amphibious landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45) berthed in Port Moresby yesterday. It will be here until April 19.

In a statement, the Royal PNG Constabulary said soldiers fired several shots into the air and indiscriminately assaulted policemen, PNG Immigration officers, other service providers and asylum seekers.

The incident occurred on Friday, April 14, at about 6.30pm at the Manus Regional Processing Centre.

Manus provincial police commander, Senior Inspector David Lapu, said a group of drunken soldiers, in retaliation for one of their colleagues, who was allegedly assaulted by an asylum seeker, entered the centre, shouting and throwing objects at the asylum seekers.

In a statement, Colonel Ray Numa, says those involved in the incident on Manus on Friday will be brought to justice.

The fight erupted over the use of the naval base oval, he explains.

Col Numa says residents of the regional processing centre were supposed to vacate the oval by 6pm.

“It is alleged that when they were asked to do so to enable dependents of the base to play on the oval, some of them refused to leave.