Extract US ship first, probe later – DOTC chief

MANILA, Philippines - Removing the USS Guardian from coral reefs in Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea will take precedence over pinpointing culpability or imposing sanctions, Transportation Secretary Jose Emilio Abaya said yesterday.

“Foremost in these salvage operations is that the procedure should cause the minimum of damage to the reef or no additional damage to the reef,” Abaya told a news briefing at Malacañang. “I think that is clear to our forces and likewise clear to our counterparts in the US Navy.”

The immediate concern, he stressed, is “maritime environmental protection.”

Abaya said the government should be apprised of every development in the case by US authorities and that it should be directly involved in efforts to extricate the 68-meter warship.

“For the salvage operations, we will vet the plans of the US Navy and we will likewise be abreast of every plan and detail that will be conducted and implemented,” he said. “The Philippines will be in charge of the environmental protection.”

For safety reasons, Abaya said environment investigators should stay away from the area while salvage work is ongoing. At the same time, he ordered the Philippine Coast Guard to assess the accident’s environmental damage and to make sure the situation does not worsen.

“Just imagine if a vessel, a 68-meter vessel aground with either a crane lifting it, so you have cables floating and a huge vessel alongside tugboats trying to pull it from the reef with big ropes tied to it. No one should get near those things at all because it could snap, it could break, and environmental investigators in the area could easily be harmed,” he said.

Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau director Mundita Lim also said there is no way to determine the full impact of the accident until the ship is removed from the area.

“We hope that the vessel can be removed as soon as possible with the least damage to the coral reefs,” Lim said.

Abaya said he is not aware of the extent of the US Navy’s culpability, adding that the law does not distinguish between negligence and intent to harm.

“What is clear in the law is that we could claim for damages, not really looking into as to the intent on how it happened,” Abaya said.

He said he is certain the Guardian’s captain faces sanction from the US Navy.

“Based on what I know from the Navy – even from our Navy – grounding of a vessel is a mortal sin. It could destroy careers. I could expect they will come down hard on their commanding officer,” Abaya said.

The former Cavite congressman had studied at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis.

“A prominent naval captain with a promising career, once you grounded your vessel, even touch bottom not necessarily causing damage, just the fact that you allow it to touch ground is a mortal sin and could spell the difference between a promising career and the termination of a career,” he pointed out.

Coast Guard approval

While preparations for removing the Guardian from Tubbataha are being finalized, the Coast Guard said it is still waiting for a private salvage firm hired by the US Navy to submit a salvage operation plan.

“There will be salvaging operations in the area. In any salvaging operations, they have to apply for a permit from the Philippine Coast Guard. In their (application), they should indicate the salvage operation plan, the equipment and the personnel involved,” said PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo. – With Evelyn Macairan, Rhodina Villanueva, Alexis Romero, Rainier Allan Ronda, Lawrence Agcaoili