The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority
(SBMA) has suspended the operations of a US Navy contractor that is undergoing
investigation for dumping hazardous waste into Philippine waters. After a meeting on Friday, the SBMA board
decided to suspend the operations of Glenn Defense Marine Asia Philippines Inc.
The board, however, reiterated its
position that no toxic, hazardous, or domestic waste was dumped into Subic Bay. ....“It was clearly established that there was
dumping of toxic waste,” Legarda said. “How can they turn their back after the
hearing? Let’s just see what’s on record. The Senate will come out with its
recommendations by the end of the month,” she said. Legarda said she suspected “lobbying” to
save Glenn Defense from accountability.... Garcia said the SBMA, on Nov. 17,
suspended Glenn Defense’s collection and disposal of ship sewage in the sea
using sea vessels. Garcia said the order disallowing vessels
to haul and dump waste into waters in the high seas also “applies to all other
waste service contractors” in the free port. “After securing the necessary permits as
is presently required from SBMA for land-based disposal of sewage, all such
sewage is to be collected directly from the ship at the pier and transported by
accredited land-based haulers to be treated in accredited waste treatment
plants,” Garcia said. In the SBMA statement, Garcia also
clarified that there was “no evidence that toxic, hazardous or domestic waste
had been dumped [into] the waters of Subic Bay.” But Garcia did not explain how the SBMA
came to that conclusion......
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