MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Apr. 27, 2014) – A Filipino youth group called Anakbayan said the United States should be held accountable for the destruction of the Philippines marine sanctuary Tubbataha Reefs following the grounding of an American ship there.
It said the grounding of the USS Guardian in Tubbataha in 2013 destroyed more than 2,300 square meters of the marine protected area and that President Barack Obama who is visiting Manila today should answer for the destruction of the reefs.
“The US should be held accountable for the destruction of Tubbataha. The Philippine government should raise the issue, stand up for our sovereignty and make sure justice is exacted,” Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan national chairperson, said in a statement sent to the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
The US has not responded to repeated demands by Manila to pay for the destruction of the reefs. The USS Guardian not only ignored warnings by Filipino park ranger to change course to avoid hitting the reefs, but also threatened them if they go near the vessel.
Crisostomo said they are appalled that no action has been made to make the US accountable a year after the destruction of the US heritage
site.
“It seems the US and Philippine governments want us to forget this episode along with other crimes committed by the US in our country,” he said.
He said the atrocities related to US presence during recent years should also be raised like the toxic waste issues, prohibited drone entry in Philippine airspace, and the Subic rape case involving US soldiers.
“Even the agenda of the talks is skewed in favor of the US. Why can’t our government have the slightest courage to raise Philippine sovereignty issues? It is like the master visiting the slave; the human petting his puppet,” he said.
Crisostomo said the Agreement on Enhanced Defense Cooperation under the US’ “Asia pivot” should be rejected by the Aquino government and the Filipino people.
“The agreement is US military bases version 2.0. Worse than the US-Philippine bases pact rejected in 1991, the AEDC will allow unlimited, eternal access to all of our country. It will turn our nation into one big US military base, turn our land into a US rape and recreation facility,” he said.
Various youth groups are set to hold protests actions during the Obama visit.
“Aquino, the puppet, is not expected to stand up for Philippine interests during his talk with Obama. It is up to the patriotic and freedom-aspiring Filipino people to stand up and in solidarity with the peoples of the world against US oppressive might. Let us take action,” he said.
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