US Navy turns over data, materials to Phl probe on Tubbataha

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Foreign Affairs said Monday that the US Navy has turned over to the Philippines data and other materials relevant to the investigation of the grounding of the USS Guardian that caused damage to the Tubbataha Reef.

In a statement, the DFA said the Philippine Maritime Casualty Investigating Team (MCIT) received on April 4 data and other materials for the investigation. Turned over by the US Navy to the MCIT were Digital Navigation Charts and other relevant documents.

"These maps and documents are important to our own independent invetsigation of what caused the grounding of the USS Guardian," said Gilberto Asuque, DFA assistant secretary. "Aside from determining what happened these materials will also help us identify measures that should be taken to prevent similar incidents."

The statement added that US Navy officials also responded to specific queries raised by the MCIT.

The safety inquiry aims to establish the cause of the grounding of the USS Guardian, an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, on the North side of the South Shoal of the Tubbataha Reefs at 2:22 a.m. of January 17, 2013.   The inquiry also aims to identify new measures that may be undertaken by the Philippines and the US to prevent such grounding from happening again on the Tubbataha Reefs.

Malacañang has said that it is not keen on filing a  diploamtic protest over the grounding of the USS Guardian.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigal Valte said the US has been cooperating with the probe and vowed to rehabilitate the reef.

Marine park authorities initially estimated that the US would have to pay P58 million for damaging 2,345.67 square meters of coral reef in Tubbataha.