photo courtesy of Greenpeace
PRESS STATEMENT
MAKE PETRON ACCOUNTABLE. ALL FOR REHABILITATION.
We should not ease our campaign stand that Petron should be held accountable for the worst environmental tragedy that occurs in our water. We should put in mind that there were only 200,000 of the 2.19 million (500,000+ gallons) liters has been released to our seas and the rest of the bunker oil is a 'ticking time bomb' waiting to become our worst nightmare yet. This is a national calamity that needs action and cooperation of the entire nation, while those who are involved should be meted the harshest means possible, there is an immediate need to salvage and surface the tanker.
We condemn Petron Corporation and Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation for repeatedly ignoring international maritime restrictions in its greed for profit, and for refusing to take charge of the critical situation it has wrought. We are likewise holding the government accountable to the Filipino people for the continuing loss of livelihood and marine resources its incompetence has brought about and for allowing the ship captain to continue plying despite possessing an expired license and likewise allowing single-hulled tanker.
Petron should be made accountable for the long-term rehabilitation of the affected marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas, reefs and coastal ecosystem and that the insurance money amounting to 250 million dollars to 300 million dollars should go directly to compensation and rehabilitation of the marine ecosystem. Since more than 3,918 families made up of about 26,000 people were fisherfolk whose catch could not be sold and more than 320 kilometers of coast line, 58 hectares of seaweed, and 454 hectares of mangroves were destroyed by the oil spill.
It is disheartening and we deplore to hear that our national government doesn’t have the expertise to deal with this kind of accident – it seems that they in the government are more concern in ensuring the profiteering of oil corporations. The government must learn from this disaster and put in place policies and create specially trained response personnel to protect the marine environment and millions of Filipinos who rely on them for food and livelihood such as compelling Oil corporations to put up an Oil Spill Trust Fund.
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