Sen. Imee Marcos (Joseph Vidal/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday questioned the supposed shipment of 39 million gallons of fuel of the United States’ Navy from Pearl Harbor to Subic.
Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on foreign relations, demanded an explanation from the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“Data from several international shipping trackers show that the oil cargo was loaded at Pearl Harbor on the U.S.-registered tanker, Yosemite Trader, on December 20 and entered Philippine territory on Tuesday,” said Marcos in a statement.
“As of Wednesday morning, the Yosemite Trader remained in its position overnight some 50 kilometers west of Subic Bay, according to shipping tracker Marine Vessel Traffic,” she added.
Marcos likewise lamented what she dubbed as “inexplicable silence” of both the Philippines and U.S. governments on the matter.
She particularly noted that this move only fuels suspicions about the “pre-positioning of military supplies in the country amid predictions of an eventual war between China and the U.S. over Taiwan.”
“Not again! This is strike three in attempting to deprive the Filipino people of the right to know,” Marcos said.
The senator emphasized that the nations’ Mutual Defense Treaty is “not a license to leave Filipinos in the dark,” adding that Subic is not an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement site — further questioning where in Philippine territory will millions of gallons of oil be stored.
“This is not just an issue of foreign policy but of Philippine sovereignty, even environmental safety. The government better have a clear explanation for this,” Sen. Marcos said.