Senate committee on foreign relations chairperson Senator Loren Legarda on Wednesday filed a resolution seeking probe into the reported grounding of the USS Guardian in the Tubbataha Reef Natural Park (TRNP)
considered as the country’s prime marine protected area and World Heritage Site.
In her Senate Resolution 928, Legarda said there should be full disclosure and accounting of the total damages arising from the incident which will help strengthen existing mechanisms to prevent a future similar occurrence.
“This incident highlights the need to ensure full protection of the Philippines’ marine resources by all vessels, foreign or domestic, within territorial waters amidst geo-political developments in the region,†Legarda said.
On Jan. 17, after completing its port of call in Subic, Olongapo City, the mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian reportedly ran aground on Tubbataha reef while en route to its next port of call in Indonesia.
Even as its ship remained aground within the protected area, the park rangers of the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) were reportedly barred by the US Navy ship commander from assessing the situation by deploying armed personnel on the dock of the ship.
“We have received reports that the personnel of the US Navy ship failed to coordinate closely with the personnel of the protected area even as their ship had already destroyed an estimated 10 meters of corals,†Legarda said.
The senator said full investigation by the concerned agencies should be conducted to strengthen existing mechanisms for protecting the World Heritage Site.
Linkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=66512.0