Relief of USS Guardian personnel not enough - group

MANILA, Philippines - Militant group Bayan said on Thursday that the relief and reassignment of four officials of the USS Guardian, including the ship commander, executive officer, assistant navigator, and officer on deck, was  inadequate considering the damage that  the grounding of a US vessel caused at Tubbataha Reef.

The group added that the sanctions against the US Navy personnel do not necessarily translate to full accountability and are inadequate as far as Philippine laws are concerned.

The US troops still need to be held accountable for violation the Tubbataha law and for violating Philippine sovereignty, Bayan said.

"The move may be seen as a form of public appeasement rather than an act to exact full accountability. The relief comes just a day before the kick-off of the Balikatan war games in the Philippines, and may be intended to gain the US some positive media milage.

"The Philippine government is now in a humiliating situation where it can only proceed with the probe to the extent that the US wants it to," the group said.

"The Tubbataha incident shows the lopsidedness of the RP-US Visting Forces Agreement. Should there be similar incidents in the course of war games such as the Balikatan tomorrow, the Philippine government is always at a gross disadvantage," it said.

Bayan will lead protests tomorow, Apr. 5, to coincide with the Balikatan military exercises opening while demanding accountability for the Tubbataha incident. - Dennis Carcamo