Photo Essay: Green groups and sectoral organizations denounce the US military forces for trespassing on Philippine waters ....

Posted to the pro-CPP Arkibong Bayan (People's Archive) (Jan 22): Excerpt from Photo Essay: Green groups and sectoral organizations denounce the US military forces for trespassing on Philippine waters and destroying environmentally-vulnerable areas in Tubbataha Reef National Park






“Strike 2″ : US Navy should be held liable for Tubbataha incidentNews release
January 18, 2013

Multisectoral group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said that the incident at the Tubbataha Reefs involving yet another US warship raises more questions against the unhampered entry and permanent presence of American forces in the country under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
Bayan made the statement after the USS Guardian, a 68-meter minesweeper of the US Navy, ran aground the Tubbataha Reefs, a natural park and a World Heritage Site in the Sulu Sea.

“The violations being committed by American warships in the country through the VFA are already disturbing and our officials should have the political will to decisively make them accountable. Just a couple of months ago, they (US Navy) were involved in the dumping of toxic wastes in Subic Bay. If the US troops and the VFA were left off the hook in that incident by local authorities and all the blame were pinned on the private contractor Glenn Defense Marine, the Tubbataha case points directly to the US Navy. They have no more excuses,” said Renato Reyes, Bayan’s secretary-general.

Bayan questioned what was the USS Guardian doing in the Tubbataha area and the true nature of its supposed visit. “What was its mission in Palawan? Is the US operating a base there? What was the approved joint activity that allowed the US to move around our waters? More importantly, what is the Philippine government going to do regarding this incident?” Reyes asked. The Bayan leader added that Filipino and American officials are making it appear that the US warships are merely conducting routine port calls although apparently they’re engaged in other activities.


The US Navy must also be held liable for the damage to the coral reefs brought about by its unauthorized entry, Bayan added. “This is already strike 2 for US troops. This kind of activity by US forces, being able to roam freely in our waters without respect for domestic laws, should end. The disrespect by the US towards the Tubbataha authorities should be looked into as well,” said Reyes.
The group stressed that the abuses being committed by US forces in the country will continue because of the VFA and the environment of impunity it created for the supposedly visiting American troops. “The violations against our sovereignty, the crimes against our people and the destruction of our natural resources by US forces will go on as long as the national government ignores persistent calls to abrogate the VFA. The abolition of this grossly one-sided, oppressive and destructive agreement is long overdue,” said Reyes. ###






 

Bayan calls for halt to US port calls, exercises amid Tubbataha incident

Posted on 20 January 2013 by admin
News Release
January 20, 2013

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan called for a halt to any further port calls and military exercises by United States forces after a US Navy vessel ran aground in Tubbataha reef in the Philippines. Bayan also called on the PH government to assert its sovereignty and ascertain the real status of the ship. The group said it is the sovereign right of the Philippines to inspect the ship.

The Philippines has been playing host to US troops and ships who are using their former bases for refuelling and repairs and who take advantage of the Philippines for rest and recreation. The Philippines also hosts some 600 Special Forces in Mindanao who have been deployed there since 2002.
“Surely there is a problem with the Visiting Forces Agreement and the port calls and exercises undertaken by US forces in our country. The frequency of port calls supposedly allowed under the VFA transforms the country into a virtual military base. They come here anytime, roam our waters freely, and engage in unspecified activities,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“And when incidents happen, like the dumping of toxic wastes or the destruction of our coral reef, the US seems to buck any kind of accountability and even disrespect our local authorities. So why should we allow US ships to continue making port calls? Why allow the VFA to continue,” Reyes added.
Bayan said provisions in the VFA make it difficult to hold US troops accountable.

Article VI of the RP-US VFA dealing with claims says that “For claims against the United States, other than contractual claims and those to which paragraph 1 applies, the United States Government, in accordance with United States law regarding foreign claims, will pay just and reasonable compensation in settlement of meritorious claims for damage, loss, personal injury or death, caused by acts or omissions of United States personnel, or otherwise incident

to the non-combat activities of the United States forces,”

Bayan asked what would constitute “just and reasonable compensation” and “meritorious claims” as far as the US is concerned. “Will the US invoke this provision of the VFA to downplay its liability or delay and minimize compensation?” Reyes asked.

“It is patently embarrassing that the PH government does not even want, at this point, to raise the issue of liability of US troops in the destruction of our coral reef. It smacks of puppetry and subservience. Whatever happened to asserting sovereignty?” Reyes said.

Bayan found it ironic that Aquino would be speaking before world leaders at

the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland next week, when he can’t even assert the national sove

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NEWS RELEASE
21 January 2013
For Reference: REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0917-4049119

GABRIELA SOLON PUSHES FOR VFA TERMINATION ANEW AMID P’NOY’S DISINTEREST IN HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan laments Malacanang’s perceptible lack of outrage as well as its apparent disinterest in holding the US government accountable for the damage that the USS Guardian has inflicted on Tubbataha reef, a declared UNESCO world heritage site.

“It will take thousands of years before reefs can recover from the least amount of damage. Whatever damage the USS Guardian has caused to the reef cannot be reduced to quantifiable data nor can it be described as minimal, yet President Aquino is taking all these in stride. This display of docility is shameful as it is contemptible.” said Ilagan.

The Gabriela solon also joined militant groups and progressive legislators in pushing anew for the immediate termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement.

“The Visiting Forces Agreement has been repeatedly used by the US government as a license to trespass on and violate our patrimony, natural resources and legal processes. Paulit-ulit na binabastos ng Estados Unidos ang bansa natin at lahat ito ay nakangiting tinatanggap ng Pangulong Aquino!”

Ilagan said the Aquino government has allowed the US to get away with nary a protest despite the toxic waste dumping at Subic Bay and the discovery of a US spy drone in Masbate.

“President Aquino and his government will go down in history among the best US apologist the Philippines ever had.”#

 

 

Press Statement
21 January 2013

Church People Decry Foul Over US Troops Destruction Of Tubbataha Reef
The Promotion of Church People’s Response strongly condemns the US Troops’ destruction of Tubbataha Reef and the infringement of our national sovereignty as US Navy ship ran aground Philippine waters. A US marine sweeper is stuck in Tubbataha Reefs national park since January 17 immediately damaging marine-resource rich within ten meters of the fragile reefs.

The environmental repercussion does not only include the decades of repair on the damaged reef but also destroys the marine bio-diversity richness in the area posing even greater urgent alarm if possible oil leaking is determined. Pending the official report on the off-course navigation of the US navy ship, it has become apparent that the US military has undermined our national sovereignty, encroached protected areas and cause environmental havoc to our natural resources and contravened our constitution and international laws and regulations under the veil of VFA.

The Tubbataha mishap is not an isolated case as previous reports already unmasked this lopsided agreement. It was only in October 2012 when Glenn Marine Defense Asia Philippines, a US navy contractor, was caught allegedly dumping off thousands of liters of untreated toxic and hazardous wastes in Subic Bay. The joint maritime exercise of GPH and US in Basilan shores last April 2012 has rammed a local fishing boat causing the death of a father and serious injury to the son. Or the Subic rape case in 2009 and the various (un)reported cases of physical abuse and manhandling of taxi drivers, food servers and other ordinary workers by US military. Furthermore, the presence of American troops in our land unnecessarily invites animosity from contending countries of the US.

Quite (un)expectedly, we are witness to the sleek underhand maneuvering, legal impediments and diplomatic pressures at the expense of our national sovereignty, freedom and security.

It is again timely to trumpet the call for the abrogation of the VFA. We long for the political will of the Aquino government to foremost protect the welfare of the Filipino people, defend our dignity as a nation and preserve the national patrimony.##

Reference:

Mr. Nardy Sabino
PCPR General Secretary
09198312040

STUDENT CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES (SCMP)
News Release
Reference: Einstein Recedes, SCMP spokesperson (0915-6469177)

Church youth charge US Embassy for Tubbataha Reef havoc
Church youth led by the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) mobilized afternoon today at the US Embassy for the illegal entry of a US Navy minesweeper into the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park that devastated its corals and marine wildlife

The warship USS Guardian is stuck for the second day at the protected marine area, with two-thirds of the 68-meter ship already submerged in its waters and causing further damage.

The Tubbataha Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and entry without permit is a violation of Republic Act No. 10067, or the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act of 2009.

“We are at rage with how the US is handling this particular issue. It just shows their insolence to our national sovereignty and their inconsiderate regard to our natural resources. Not only does this raise the issue of environmental destruction, but also the reason behind the entry and presence of American forces in our country because of the Visiting Forces Agreement,” said Einstien Recedes, spokesperson of SCMP.

He also recounted the alleged dumping of untreated waste collected by a US Navy-contracted vessel on Subic Bay November last year, because the VFA grants immunity to US military personnel deployed in the Philippines.

“These incidents prove that US warships are not only conducting routine port calls in our country. Why are they here in the first place? Their presence should not be welcomed if they just cause trouble more than anything, “ he added.

The youth also slammed the Aquino government for its silence and inaction on the incident.

“The Aquino government should be held liable, because it would not have happened in the first place if it abrogated the VFA. The Philippines is at the losing end of the agreement, with the US continuing to disregard our laws, committing crimes against our people and exploiting our natural resources,” Recedes said. ###

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Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
3/F NCCP Bldg. 879 EDSA Quezon City 1100
Hotlines: 09289526973, 09187310322, 09174881510
scmpinas@gmail.com

 http://www.arkibongbayan.org/2013/2013-01Jan21-TubbatahaReef/tubbataha.htm