US must pay More for the Damage Caused to Tubbataha Reef

The USS Guardian ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO heritage site on January 17, 2013 while sailing to Indonesia and by far, has caused reef damage to the extent of 2,345.65 square meters and fined by the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) with a USD 1.4 million fine (PHP 60 million) and according to TPAMB, is computed based on the schedule of penalties set by R.A. 10067 (Tubbataha Reefs Natural Part Act of 2009) which pegged the fine at USD 600 (PHP 24,000) per square meter of damaged reef.

The penalty however was criticized by Sen. Loren Legarda and former Sen. Jamby Madrigal as to minuscule  considering the long-term consequences of the damage, the displacement of marine animals and the length of time before the reef could repair itself. Sen. Legarda is urging that the penalty be not solely based on RA 10067 and a determination of what other possible range of violations could have been committed and other pertinent laws that may be relevant to the case.

I can only agree with the assertions of Sen. Legarda and former Sen. Madrigal, the imposed fine of USD 1.4 million is nothing compared to the insult that the US navy committed against the dignity and natural resources of the Philippines. If only due care (a report indicated that before the ship ran aground, a Tubbataha ranger radioed the ship that they were about to enter a protected site, apparently, the ship simply retorted that complaints must be coursed through the US embassy in Manila) and prudence and respect for the duly constituted authorities of the Republic of the Philippines, this should not have happened in the first place.

It is therefore just fitting, as propounded by Sen. Legarda, that further damages has to be filed, such as exemplary damages. Indeed, the officers and crew of the USS Guardian not only committed disrespectful acts against the laws of the Philippines, they also violated and disregarded, really insulted the authorities responsible for protecting the park.

The US government has to pay more, and to pay because such arrogant and despicable display of hubris against the authorities of a sovereign nation is simply unacceptable in the modern world. Pay up more AMERICA!!!