Filipino youth group slams U.S. Navy destruction of protected Philippine atoll

From the Mindanao Examiner (Jan 18): Filipino youth group slams U.S. Navy destruction of protected Philippine atoll

A Filipino youth group called Anakbayan has slammed the U.S. Navy for damaging Tubbataha Reef and blocking Philippine investigation on the incident. It said the presence of the USS Guardian, a mine sweeper, is poison to the seas and sovereignty of the Philippines. "The area is off-limits to the ship yet the U.S. 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 in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.

The USS Guardian ran aground on Wednesday and damaged the coral reef in Tubbataha. The US Navy has reportedly secured the area and would not let local park official near the ship. "Tubbataha is a World Heritage Site. Damaging the corals is tantamount to killing the species that thrive in it. The presence of the U.S. ship 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," Crisostomo said. "This is proof that Visiting Forces Agreement (between the two countries) should be scrapped and U.S. troops should stop operations in our country." The Visiting Forces Agreement grants immunity to U.S. military personnel deployed in the Philippines.

"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," Crisostomo said. "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."

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20130117104631