Defense chief hoping Tubbataha groundings only 'coincidental'

MANILA, Philippines - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin Said Friday that he is hopeful the grounding of the Chinese fishing vessel and the US minesweeper USS Guardian in Tubbataha Reef are only “coincidental.”

This, as the the successive grounding incidents have raised questions as to why the area has become mishap-prone even to vessels from US and China, countries known for their advanced technology.

“Well, let’s just hope it’s coincidental. As I said, it means, there is a need for us to investigate and to determine what really happened,” Gazmin told reporters on Friday.

The defense chief stressed that it is hard to believe in allegations that do not have proof, referring to speculations that the 12 Chinese fishermen who were on board the fishing vessel that got stuck in Tubbataha last Monday were spies sent by China.

Some also came to the conclusion that the Chinese nationals’ identities are dubious because of their possession of $2,400, which they allegedly used in their attempt to bribe marine park rangers.

Gazmin, however, said they could not immediately pass judgment on the Chinese fishermen.

“It’s hard to make accusations. We should have a basis for accusing these people or suspecting people,” the defense chief said.

“Right now, there is a formal investigation on the illegal entrants who are now in Palawan. But we have also our intelligence community that can look into this, analyze and see if indeed they are genuine fishermen or disguised fishermen,” he added.

The Tubbataha reef covers 130,028 hectares and has been named a World Heritage Site due to its extensive coral network.

On Monday, a Chinese fishing vessel manned by 12 persons ran aground in the reef and was sighted 1.1 nautical miles east of the Ranger Station.

Marine park rangers reported seeing fishing nets on board the steel-hulled vessel, but no fish or marine life was found.

The incident happened days after the remnants of what used to be the US warship USS Guardian were completely removed not far from the area.

The Chinese fishermen are facing cases for violating various provisions of the Tubbataha Act of 2009. These are Sections 19 (unauthorized entry), 20 (damage to the reefs), 26 (destroying, disturbing resources), and 27 (poaching by foreigners).

They are also facing bribery charges for allegedly offering $2,400 to marine park rangers who apprehended them.

Prior to this, the USS Guardian got stuck in the reef, causing extensive damage to the area, which is one of the country’s maritime sanctuaries.

The US Navy has blamed faulty navigational charts for the incident, which happened last January 17.

Initial assessment from the government show that the US has to pay at least P58 million for damaging 2,345.67 square meters of coral reefs.