US waiting for Philippines' appeal for Tubbataha payout

MANILA, Philippines — The United States is only waiting for a formal request for compensation from the Philippines for the damages caused by the grounding of US Navy minesweeper USS Guardian (MCM-5) in Tubbataha Reef last year.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said the US government will study the appeal for the unsettled $1.3 million (P58 million) payout, which is part of the protocol in government-to-government issues.

"We are awaiting for that compensation request from the Philippine government and we will review. We are in the process of discussing it and that will come too," Goldberg said in a press briefing in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on Thursday, as quoted in a state news report.

Goldberg reiterated America's regret over the incident, purportedly caused by faulty navigation, and damaging more than 2,300 square meters of the natural park considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"We regret very much what happened and we've expressed that many times to the government of the Philippines as well as the people of the Philippines," Goldberg said, who replaced Harry Thomas who was ambassador at the time of the grounding.

"It was an accident and we are very sorry it took place," Goldberg added.

He said US and Philippine authorities have already enforced measures to ensure such accident will not occur again, such as in holding accountable those involved.

Goldberg said that the US also went on "great lengths" to remove the ship with minimal further damage on the treasured reef. The fully functioning minesweeper was dismantled in a monumental salvage operation completed two months after the incident.

In January, the Tubbataha management took an initiative to demand $1.5-million compensation from the United States for wide swath of damage on the reef.

"The amount is probably little to them, but it means the world to us, to Tubbataha to maintain its protection," Tubbataha Management Office top executive Angeline Songco had said.

Songco also denied reports that the agency has neglected the unsettled payment of the US following its Navy minesweeper USS Guardian's grounding on the protective marine reserve in January 2013.

She said the agency communicated with the US Embassy through a letter sent in April 2013 seeking the payout, but the US told them to follow a new process to claim the said amount.

"This is really unfair. The USS Guardian caused the damage, however, it is the Philippines and Tubbataha that have to beg to be paid," she added.

Also read: Tubbataha agency breaks protocol, demands US payout