u.s. authorities have yet to explain what exactly the u.s.s. guardian was up to when it ran aground and got stuck in palawan’s tubbataha reef, an area that’s supposed to be off limits to navigation except for research or tourism approved by the marine park superintendent.

… officials tasked with managing and protecting the restricted area said their rangers had tried to warn the US ship, only to allegedly be rebuffed by the vessel’s captain with advice to take any complaints to the US embassy.

american arrogance to the max.  nakakainit ng ulo.  and since the ship got stuck, a full week ago, we’ve heard nothing but lame excuses — inaccurate maps?  come on, guys, we weren’t born yesterday.  R & R, as some suggest, a sidetrip to scuba-dive and check out one of the best reefs in the world, sounds really believable, or even, looking for more lost drones, why not, and even, oil exploration, a la you-know-who you-know-where.

but what’s really maddening is that all that’s issuing from the philippine side are demands for apologies and talks of fines and penalties.  no one’s demanding that the ship be removed ASAP, as in, NOW NA!  i know i know, the weather’s bad, the waves are huge, but what if the weather doesn’t get better, what if it gets worse?   sorry na lang the reef?  does not the damage to the reef get worse the longer the ship is left there, getting more and more stuck, yet changing position, and now taking in water?

i’m beginning to wonder if the u.s. navy is more concerned about damage to the ship than damage to the reef.  sana naman hindi.