Foreign-flagged dredging vessel leaves Batangas
MANILA, Philippines — The foreign vessel manned by Chinese crew has left waters off Lobo, Batangas after the Philippine Ports Authority canceled its anchorage permit.
Earlier this week, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources suspended the environmental compliance certificate for Filipino firm Seagate Engineering and Buildsystems.
In an interview with radio dzMM last Wednesday, Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the project of the dredging vessel has an ECC but lacks other required documents such as a permit to transport and clearance from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
In a separate interview with CNN Philippines, Antiporda said the ECC was issued to the foreign dredging vessel in 2018.
Its application for a permit last February was also denied, according to the DENR official.
Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros called for an inquiry into the ship's presence along the shores of Batangas.
The Philippine Coast Guard earlier clarified that the dredging vessel, identified as MV Emerald, is based in Singapore but it is also carrying the flag of Sierra Leone.
Hontiveros raised concerns over the plan of the Emerald to dredge 2 million cubic meters of sand from the Lobo River to be used for a runway at the Hong Kong International Airport.
"I call on our authorities to investigate this matter and ascertain for sure if the crew of the Chinese dredging vessel has all the necessary documents, permits and clearances from our government. They must be immediately arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law if proven that they are in the area without any legal authority," Hontiveros said. — Patricia Lourdes Viray
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