House urged to probe toxic waste dumping in Subic

House of Representatives. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Partylist lawmakers are calling on the committees on natural resources and ecology at the House of Representatives to look into the alleged dumping of toxic waste done by a US Navy contractor within Philippine waters.

Kabataan Partylist Representative Raymond Palatino and Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Teddy Casino filed on Monday House Resolution No. 2881 which instructs these panels to launch an on site investigation on the incident.

In a statement, Palatino said that the issue was not merely focused on the Philippines’ relations with the US. “It’s basically an issue of safeguarding our shores from becoming the toxic trash bin of foreign countries,” he explained.

Palatino felt that the two committees could look into the “environmental and socio-economic impacts of the alleged illegal dumping of toxic wastes of US Navy sub-contractor Glenn Marine Defense Asia in Subic Bay.”

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has started its own investigation on the Malaysian contractor.

Palatino believes that Glenn Marine Defense Asia “violated several pertinent laws of the Philippines, including Republic Act No. 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990 and Republic Act No. 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.”

Storing, importing and bringing hazardous waste into the country’s territory is prohibited under RA 6969.

“What is alarming is that Glenn Marine Defense Asia even invoked the Visiting Forces Agreement to halt the investigation,” he said.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has urged the government to suspend the VFA following the incident.