Trump’s son hit for ship over reef tweet

MANILA, Philippines - Netizens have blasted the son of American billionaire Donald Trump for posting on his Twitter account that the US Navy minesweeper is more important than the damaged portion of Tubbataha Reef.

“Yes, a $277-million boat is more important than a 200x50 section of reef that has already been run over,” tweeted businessman Donald Trump Jr.

He was reacting to the proposal to cut up the $277-million USS Guardian to avoid further damage to the coral. He said the move was stupid and the damage to the coral does not cost as much as the pricey warship.

His remarks have drawn flak from Filipino micro-bloggers, including Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño who said the young Trump’s posts reflected the US sentiment that their Navy vessel is of greater importance than the marine sanctuary.

“@DonaldJTrumpJr your 277mil killing machine can never be more important than even a small section of reef that gives life to the oceans,” Casiño tweeted back.

“While the USS Guardian’s measurable cost is $277 million, the estimated value of the damaged section of Tubbataha Reef alone is over $342 million, based on scientific studies previously done with coral reefs,” he said.

“No valuation can ever approximate the destruction of our environment in the first place,” he added.

Trump went on to explain to a fellow American who said the cost of the ship might be lesser than cleanup expenses as well as US payment to the Philippine government for damages.

“Please, cleanup costs? The ship is stranded on a 200 by 50 at most on the edge of the reef. It hit and stopped. Give me a break ...That is not worth 277 million by any standard,” he posted.

An obviously angrier blogger SK1MPY tweeted: @DonaldJTrumpJr @DRUDGE_REPORT we only have one nature you destructive f―k.

Trump, who recently visited the country for the ground breaking of Trump Tower in Manila, also responded to Filipinos on Twitter who questioned his opinion.              

Some of the exchanges went on as follows:

@adamq112 @DonaldJTrumpJr A boat is more important than a coral reef?

@DonaldJTrumpJr @adamq112 not the whole reef but yes a 277mil boat is more important than a 200x50 section of reef that has already been run over.

@DonaldJTrumpJr @SK1MPY @DRUDGE_REPORT yes because the very small section of reef that has already been run over is  worth 1/4bil Obamanomics much?

@mjfelipe The Tubbataha reef is a WORLD heritage site. For your information. @DonaldJTrumpJr pic.twitter.com/Xv3N4ocj.

@polablangkita Good morning from the Philippines Mr.@DonaldJTrumpJr! The REEF is not just a part of our country..it is a NATIONAL TREASURE.

@DonaldJTrumpJr @polablangkita perhaps but the whole reef was not destroyed just a chunk the size of a boat. That is not worth 277 million by any standard.

@Anthony_Andres you are right...the reef is not the same value as that of the navy ship...it is worth more...a whole lot more than the ship.

@TourismPinas. @DonaldJTrumpJr thinks that Tubbataha, a UNESCO world heritage site is worth less than an arrogant US navy ship. Shame.

@TourismPinas @DonaldJTrumpJr Next time think where you get your seafood dinner comes from. REEFS.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said Trump “does not have a grasp on the importance of the environment.”

Meanwhile, if the salvaging plans would get the nod of the Aquino administration, the extraction of the US Navy’s minesweeper from Tubbataha Reef might start on Monday.

Coast Guard Palawan District commander Commodore Enrico Efren Evangelista said yesterday that if everything goes according to plan and the weather permits, the salvaging operations for the USS Guardian would begin on Feb. 4.

Evangelista clarified that Rear Admiral Thomas Carney, commander of the US Navy’s Logistics Group in the Western Pacific, handed over a copy of the proposed salvage plans to PCG commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena Wednesday evening.

The US Navy and US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. have apologized for the grounding and promised to cooperate with the Philippines. – AP, Evelyn Macairan, Alexis Romero, Paolo Romero