Noynoy rapped for cover-up of US toxic dumping

From the Daily  Tribune (Nov 15): Noynoy rapped for cover-up of US toxic dumping

Filipino scientists yesterday accused President Aquino of covering up for the United States Navy in dumping toxic wastes, done through its waste contractor, which wastes that were dumped were tested to be 700 times more toxic than the government’s allowable water toxicity level, but Malacañang appears not to do anything about it, and has in fact downplayed the issue. Even as the Subic Authority chairman Roberto Garcia was summoned to Malacañang, Aquino’s spokesmen had claimed that while the President and Garcia met, nothing about the issue of toxic waste dumping was discussed. It was also noted that Garcia, after that meeting with Aquino, downplayed his earlier charges against the operators of MT Glen Guardian. Garcia has not been heard commenting on this toxic waste dumping since that meeting with Aquino. As of October of this year, 70 US Navy ships had passed through Subic, more than the 55 in 2011 and the 51 in 2010. A wire service report said that the Pentagon says that more than 100 US planes stop over each month at Clark, another former US base located between Manila and Subic. With 70 ships passing through Subic, it is reasonable to assume that their ships’ toxic wastes have also been dumped into Philppine waters. This was confirmed in the same report with a statement from Garcia who was quoted as saying: “Every month we have ships coming. A few weeks ago, we had the submarines, we’ve had the aircraft carriers.” Garcia is the chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which oversees an economic zone built on the former US base. “They cannot find this kind of facility anywhere else in Asia.” The House Minority, led by Depury Minority Floor Leader Rep. Danilo Suarez, however, is pushing a probe on this matter and has called for one. Despite Tribune’s query, the Office of the Presidential Spokesman has declined to issue a statement on the charges of its alleged cover-up on the US government and the private shipping contractor’s dumping of toxic waste. Dr. Givanni Tapang, chairman of the local scientists organization called the AGHAM-Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, also condemned what they said was an irresponsible act of dumping hazardous and toxic waste in Subic Bay by US Navy contractor Glenn Defense Marine Asia. “What they dumped on our waters is highly dangerous and can cause possible death and harm to humans, according to Subic Bay Management Authority’s own laboratory analysis,” said Tapang, who is also the concurrent vice-president of Kalikasan Network....

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/headlines/item/6905-noynoy-rapped-for-cover-up-of-us-toxic-dumping