As of press time, the USS Guardian ship is still stranded at the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Tubbataha Reef.
Amid all the outrage caused by the unfortunate accident, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) made clear that the annual Balikatan Exercises between the Philippine and US troops will still push through.
In a statement, AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said that the minesweeper warship running aground the esteemed reef was an accident.
He further said in a report from Philstar.com that “nobody wanted that incident to happen.”
In line with the Mutual Defense Treaty of 1951, Burgos clarified that the annual military exercises between the Philippine and American troops will proceed as scheduled.
Even if a government-led board has decided to fine the US Navy for unauthorized entry, some militant groups believe that it is not enough.
These groups have pushed for the cancellation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which allows US-PH military exercises like the Balikatan on Philippine shores.
In a separate report from Philstar.com, Burgos noted that military exercises are beneficial for the Philippine Army.
Aside from improving the local troops’ defense system, interoperable exercises are also helpful in terms of disaster awareness and relief operations.
The US Navy eyed a faulty nautical chart as the reason for the grounding of the USS Guardian.
Vice Admiral Scott Swift of the US Navy’s 7th Fleet apologized to the country on January 20 for the damages that the incident has inflicted on Tubbataha Reef.
However, according to Protected Area Management Board Head Angelique Songco, the marine park rangers were ignored and were not allowed to inspect the ship, as reported by Inquirer.net.
According to Songco, they were told by the ship’s commander to contact the US Embassy in Manila instead.
Deriving from confusing reports about some information regarding the USS Guardian ship was Senator Francis Pangilinan.
The senator asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to provide a thorough report on how the US ship managed to enter Tubbataha Reef, which prohibits navigation except for research and tourism approved by government and the park rangers on duty.
Pangilinan deemed that the US government lacked detail when it came to providing answers. He went on by saying that “Friends and allies must exercise good faith by coming clean.”
According to Philippine Law, the violation would incur a fine of up to P300,000 (about $7,300) and a maximum penalty of imprisonment of up to a year. A most recent report from the AFP revealed that the board agreed to fine the US Navy minus jail time.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), in a report from Philstar.com, said that “the entry of the USS Guardian in the protected area without prior notice or authorization shows the arrogance of the US military who swagger around Philippine territory in complete disregard of Philippine sovereignty.”
The CPP also blamed the Aquino government for failing “to stand up against the persistent incursions of the US in Philippine territory reveals its puppetry to the US imperialists.”
Regardless of our strong ties with the US, our ally should be held fully accountable for the damages caused to Tubbataha Reef.
After all, the Philippines is highly reliant on tourism and Tubbataha Reef, being a UNESCO World Heritage site, should not be merely overlooked.
Trust is the foundation of any strong alliance — requiring even more accountability and responsibility, instead of tolerance and leniency.
The least the US can do is to help in the rehabilitation of Tubbataha Reef, after the damages have been assessed.
(AJPress)
