The youth group Anakbayan slammed the US Navy for damaging Tubbataha corals and blocking the investigation on the incident, saying the US ships’ presence is “poison” to our seas and our sovereignty.
“The area is off-limits to the ship yet the US Navy has the gall to keep the probe to themselves and make us wait, this is a grave offense to our independence,” Anakbayan Chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said.
A US Navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, ran aground yesterday morning and damaged coral in Tubbataha. The US Navy has reportedly secured the area and would not let local park official near the stuck ship.
“Tubbataha is a World Heritage Site. Damaging corals is tantamount to killing the species that thrive in it. US presence is poison, a plague to our seas and sovereignty,” Crisostomo said.
The youth leader added that Aquino’s silence on the matter and lack of outrage is sign of puppetry.
“The Aquino administration must also be held accountable for allowing unbridled entry of US ships, his being an Amboy is costing us our natural resources,” said Crisostomo.
He said this is proof that VFA should be scrapped and US troops should stop operations in our country.
“We have been calling to junk VFA with all its one-sided provisions, but government did nothing. Now look at the US Navy leaving the government in powerless to even probe the damage,” he said.
The Visiting Forces Agreement grants immunity to US military personnel deployed in the Philippines.
“The agreement gives them the nerve to act like we are their subordinates, that they can disregard our laws. It’s time to junk the VFA before further damage is done to our seas and our sovereignty,” he said
0 Comments
Oldest