DFA studying US report on Guardian grounding

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still studying the report of the US Navy detailing the grounding of its warship in Tubbataha Reef last January.

The DFA, however, did not immediately comment on the report that revealed visual and electronic miscues and a general “lack of leadership” which led to the grounding of USS Guardian.

In a 160-page report released Friday, US Pacific Fleet Adm. Cecil Haney said the crew of the ship had “failed to adhere to prudent, safe, and sound navigation principles” that could have prevented the grounding.

Haney said the incident could have been prevented were it not for poor voyage planning, poor execution, and unfortunate circumstances.

It was not clear, however, what sanctions would be imposed on the crew of the ship.

Haney said the ship’s watch team had disregarded visual cues, electronic cues and alarms in the hours leading up to the grounding.

Militant groups led by Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), however, dismissed the report on the Guardian grounding, saying it was a “tall tale of usual alibi.”

Pamalakaya said the US report on the incident was meant to obscure the truth and reduce the issue to some technical blunder.

“In fact it is not a report. It is just a long narration of excuses authored by propaganda department of Washington D.C. It is like a tall tale of usual alibi made to treat the global public to a roller coaster ride,” Pamalakaya spokesman Gerry Albert Corpuz said.

Pamalakaya vice chairman Salvador France said the US report exonerated Washington and reduced the highly questionable incident to “a drama of unfortunate event and plain and simple human error.”

The Philippine government previously reported the USS Guardian damaged some 2,345.67 square meters of the marine protected area and asked the US government to pay up P58 million for the damage to the reef. – With Michelle Zoleta