Anti-riot policemen block protesters during a predawn rally over the US Navy ship which ran aground in Tubbataha Reef, in front of the US embassy in Manila, yesterday.
MANILA: The US government yesterday apologised to the Philippines for the grounding of its minesweeper USS Guardian in Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea.
“On behalf of the United States government, I wish to convey to the Philippine government and people my profound regret over the grounding of the USS Guardian in Tubbataha Reef,” said Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. in a statement issued by the US embassy in Manila.
“This was an unfortunate accident, and I recognise the legitimate concerns over the damage caused to a unique and precious wonder of nature, internationally recognised for its beauty and biological diversity,” he added.
Thomas assured the Philippine government that Washington is committed to removing the ship from the area as soon as possible.
He said Washington will work with the Philippine government to assess the damage and take steps to address it.
The embassy issued the statement after the Philippine government revealed that 1,000sqm of the 97,030-hactare Tubbataha Reef in Sulu Sea in the south were damaged by the USS Guardian stuck in the area since January 17.
The commander of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet earlier expressed regret for the damage.
The minesweeper will have to be lifted off the rocks using cranes, officials said yesterday.
Before the USS Guardian can be removed from the reef, about 56,000 litres of fuel will be siphoned off to avoid spills, said Rear Admiral Thomas Carney, Commander of the US Navy’s Logistics Group in the Western Pacific.
Philippine Coastguard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo relayed Carney’s announcement yesterday and said Task Force Tubbataha and the US Navy have decided to use a salvage ship to lift the 1,300-tonne ship off the reef.
Department of transportation and communications Undersecretary Eduardo Oban Jr said the USNS Salvor, a large vessel that will aid in the operations, will be deployed. It is expected to arrive today.
Balilo said Carney had contracted the Smit towing company in Singapore to lift and put the grounded ship on a salvage barge and bring it to a shipyard.
Oban said part of the salvage plan is to use a crane to lift the stranded ship instead of dragging it to deeper waters that would cause more damage to the corals.
USS Guardian, based in Japan, crashed into the reef before dawn on January 17, on its way to Indonesia after making a rest and refuelling stop in the Subic Bay.
All of its 79 officers and crew were transferred to two US vessels the following day for safety reasons as the 68-metre, 1,300-tonne ship was unable to manoeuvre on its own as it was buffeted by strong winds and waves.
Carney told reporters at the site that the ship was hard aground about 30 metres from the edge of the reef.
Militant groups asked the department of justice to sue the US Navy officials and crew of USS Guardian.
Fisherfolk Pamalakaya and the Anakpawis party said that the department should determine the criminal liabilities of the US navy for the damage caused to the reef, a world heritage site.
“We hope Secretary (Leila) De Lima will rise above the occasion and pursue legitimate concerns of the Filipino public along the lines of national sovereignty and environmental and social justice,” the groups said.
They also said that the department should prepare the charge sheet against those involved in the environmental mishap and consider the proposal to file a class suit against the US government before an international body that addresses such incidents.
“De Lima must express her legal opinion because it is just, moral, politically correct and constitutionally appropriate,” they noted.
The groups said Carney should be charged along with other US military officials and personnel for the environmental havoc and violation of the country’s national sovereignty.
“Let’s get in on De Lima. The department should pursue case against US Navy officials behind the Tubbataha Reef massacre,” they said.
The Philippine star
