Loren: Diplomatic protest vs US over Tubbataha unnecessary

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The proposal to file a diplomatic protest against the US over the grounding of the USS Guardian on Tubbataha Reef is unnecessary as Washington is taking appropriate steps to compensate for the damage.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, said the situation does not call for the filing of a diplomatic protest as suggested by some quarters.

First of all, the Secretary of State (John Kerry) has already apologized and said they would pay. As long as they fulfill their commitment, there’s no problem,” she told The STAR. “The protest should be done if no action is taken.”

Anakpawis party-list and fisherfolk group Pamalakaya pressed the Department of Foreign Affairs to lodge a formal diplomatic protest against the US for the Tubbataha mishap, and Malacañang had said it is time to hold the US government accountable for the damage done now that the minesweeper had been removed from the atoll.

But the protesting groups said the joint team commissioned by Malacañang and the US government would not yield an objective investigation, so an independent party must carry out the probe.

Legarda said she is in favor of the proposal and believes that the independent party might come out with more credible findings, but she appeared perplexed over the extent of the damage.

“How can they (team) determine the damage? It’s unquantifiable. For example, the corals, it will take centuries to restore them,” she said. 

Legarda expressed hope that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) would not remove Tubbataha Reef from the list of heritage sites because of the damaged caused by the US ship.

“I hope not. It’s not of our own doing and the US government is responsible,” Legarda said.

Asked if she thought the Tubbataha mishap would affect the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philippines and US, Legarda said she would push for a review of the accord, focusing on what gains the VFA had given to the Philippines.

“I voted against it (VFA) but times have changed now. Definitely, we need America as an ally,” she stressed.

Damage payment as endowment fund

Meanwhile, environmentalists are optimistic that the payment for damage from the US would allow the Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) to have a significant endowment fund to sustain its operations of the marine sanctuary.  – With Rhohina Villanueva