Putrajaya, Malaysia. 23–27 June 2025. The ASEAN National Police (ASEANAPOL) Secretariat, under the leadership of its Executive Director, Police Colonel David Martinez Vinluan, proudly participated in the 25th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) and its Related Meetings held in Putrajaya, Malaysia. The event gathered high-level delegates from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Dialogue Partners to reaffirm regional commitment to a secure, rules-based, and resilient ASEAN Community.
The Executive Director of the ASEANAPOL Secretariat served as a member of the Philippine Delegation to the 25th SOMTC and its Related Meetings, led by His Excellency Nestor B. Sanares, Undersecretary for Peace and Order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), in his capacity as SOMTC Philippines Head of Delegation. Executive Director Vinluan participated in the meeting as the representative of the Philippine National Police (PNP), bringing operational insights and frontline perspectives to the strategic policy discussions.
Also present at the meeting was the ASEANAPOL Secretariat’s Director for Police Services (DPP), Police Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc, who joined as part of the Vietnamese Delegation. His participation underscored the Secretariat’s continued support to ASEAN Member Countries in advancing the regional crime prevention agenda.
Throughout the high-level meeting, Executive Director Vinluan contributed to strategic discussions on the region’s collective response to emerging and persistent transnational threats, including illicit drug trafficking, human trafficking, terrorism, cybercrime, and environmental crime. His presence reinforced ASEANAPOL’s pivotal role as the regional policing mechanism that translates policy agreements into concrete, frontline action.
The week-long event commenced with a Courtesy Call and Opening Ceremony graced by H.E. Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution bin Ismail, Minister of Home Affairs of Malaysia and ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) Leader. During the 25th SOMTC Plenary, the Executive Director witnessed the review of the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime and deliberations on inter-sectoral cooperation and cross-pillar engagements.
Notably, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat’s engagements were highlighted during bilateral dialogues and side meetings, affirming the Secretariat’s active support for SOMTC in translating strategic priorities into operational deliverables. These engagements underscore the importance of sustained police-to-police cooperation through the ASEANAPOL mechanism.
In the SOMTC + Dialogue Partners Consultations, Executive Director Vinluan interfaced with high-level representatives from Canada, New Zealand, India, Russia, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, the European Union, and the United States. These consultations fostered an open exchange of views and paved the way for deeper collaboration on intelligence-sharing, capacity building, and joint operations against transnational crime.
Beyond the formal sessions, the Executive Director Vinluan and DPP Ngoc also participated in the Gala Dinner and Golf Fellowship, which served to enhance camaraderie and regional solidarity among SOMTC Leaders and Dialogue Partner Heads of Delegation.
The ASEANAPOL Secretariat conveys its gratitude to the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) and the Ministry of Home Affairs of Malaysia for their gracious hosting of the 25th SOMTC and for continuously supporting ASEANAPOL’s mission. The Secretariat remains committed to complementing SOMTC’s work and bridging high-level agreements with operational cooperation, ultimately safeguarding communities across the ASEAN region.
“ASEANAPOL stands as the unwavering operational arm of our collective regional efforts. It is only through strong partnerships and mutual trust that we can defeat the complex threats that transcend our borders,” Executive Director Vinluan remarked during the sidelines of the meeting. It is that stand of the Executive Director that ASEANAPOL, comprising the ten ASEAN Police Forces and the only regional police organization in the ASEAN region, must be included in the discussions, plans, programs, and activities of the AMMTC and SOMTC within the whole ASEAN Framework.
The ASEANAPOL Secretariat looks forward to deeper collaboration with SOMTC, AMMTC, and all Dialogue and Development Partners to ensure that ASEAN remains a zone of peace, freedom, and shared security.
