US crane ship arrives, but local board protests shutout from Tubbataha talks

From InterAksyon (Feb 3): US crane ship arrives, but local board protests shutout from Tubbataha talks

The smaller of two crane ships contracted by the US government to help in operations involving the minesweeper USS Guardian at the Tubbataha Reef arrived in the country Sunday and is now in Puerto Princesa City.

The arrival of the crane ship, contracted from a salvor company in Singapore, came, however, amid irritants among some of the Philippine parties involved in the handling of the environmental crisis spawned by the Guardian’s running aground on January 17 at a shallow portion of the reef, declared a UNESCO Heritage Site for being one of the few richest biodiversity areas in the planet.

Philippine Coast Guard commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said Sunday of the crane ship, “It arrived this morning. But this is just the small one. We’re also expecting the arrival of the bigger one. As of now, there is no specific plan yet when to start the salvaging of the USS Guardian. But it appears that there is no more option but the cut into pieces the ship,” Isorena said.

Also on Sunday, the US government listed a series of measures it was planning to help rehabilitate the reef, but the measures agreed on between Philippine national government agencies and the US created a controversy after the local protection board complained about being shut out of meetings and decisions.

The Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board met at the provincial capitol on Sunday and agreed on three things, according to the board’s co-chairman, Palawan Gov. Abraham Mitra. The board agreed to:

1) send a letter of complaint as to why an assessment was done in the absence of a Philippine representative, contrary to an earlier agreement;

2) inform Task Force Tubbataha, that includes the US, that the board will conduct its own assessment; and

3) reject the offer or move of the Department of Foreign Affairs to mediate, and request for arrangement with the US Navy.

Initial reports said damage to the reef was estimated at 1,400 square meters. Last week, the US Navy started to de-fuel the ship and removed other materials and equipment from the ship.

The US government through its Embassy in Manila on Sunday said it has some proposals to offer for marine protection for the Philippines after the grounding of the Guardian on January 17.

In a statement, the Embassy said it is developing a technical plan for coral reef rehabilitation that will be led by a US team of marine experts.

The US announced its commitment to help although it remains silent on persistent questions as to why its sailors landed on the prohibited marine site in the country, violating Philippine maritime laws including a UNESCO provision on World Heritage Sites.

US officials initially blamed “faulty” digital navigational maps, but Filipino officials and experts said all maps clearly show “no navigation” tags in that part of Sulu Sea.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/54209/us-crane-ship-arrives-but-local-board-protests-shutout-from-tubbataha-talks