Paz stops yellow submarine operation

CEBU, Philippines - Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza has issued a cease and desist order against the Cebu Yellow Submarine Undersea Tour Corp. yesterday after its submarine allegedly caused damage on the corals within the city’s waters.

It has come to the attention of the mayor  through an underwater video uploaded in YouTube on April 24 entitled “Coral Crusher”, which shows that the yellow submarine allegedly brushing against a coral reef as it made a turn.

The yellow submarine is docked at the Imperial Palace Water Park Resort and Spa and is owned and operated by the Cebu Yellow Submarine Undersea Tour Corp..

Radaza said  the submarine hit and caused damage on the corals and destroy the marine habitat within the waters of Lapu-Lapu City thereby violating the laws and  the terms and conditions of the business permit given to the said corporation.

“Therefore, this Office hereby orders the immediate SUSPENSION OF THE BUSINESS PERMIT of your establishment and accordingly, you must CEASE AND DESIST from operating your submarine pending investigation, as it violates RA 8550 otherwise known as The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998,” the order stated.

Radaza ordered the said establishment to show cause within five days from receipt of the order why their Mayor’s Permit should not be permanently revoked.

“Your inaction will be deemed a waiver of presenting evidence on your side. Further, your non-presentation of evidence on the afore-set period shall be prejudicially considered against you,” the order further stated.

The issuance of the order yesterday supersedes the Notice of Violation issued last April 25 as the establishment did not bother to communicate with Radaza’s office regarding the issue.

On April 25, Lapu-Lapu City Administrator Teodulo Ybañez, who also chairs the Business Inspection Board, already issued a notice of violation to Kim Jun, the general manager of Imperial Palace and it was received by the latter the next day.

In response to the notice, Imperial Palace demanded from the said operator a full explanation of what is seen in the video.

“The operator is conducting a thorough investigation and will release the results of the investigation no later than May 3, 2013,” said Imperial Palace management in a statement released on April 26.

The Palace also issued a notice to the operator to temporarily stop all submarine operations pending the result of the investigation.

“The Palace assures the public that it intends to maintain its position as an environmentally conscious company, always mindful of any impact it may have on the welfare of its communities and attentive to the dignity of marine life,” the statement added.

Imperial Palace PR Manager Angela Emphasis said the Yellow Submarine  management submitted the promised explanation to Phil. BXT Corp., the mother company of Imperial Palace, Friday night.

As a result, Phil. BXT Corp. lifted the ban on their operations on Saturday.

Emphasis said that due to its highly technical nature, the explanation will be presented by the Yellow Submarine management in a press conference today.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region VII has formed a team to conduct field investigation on the extent of damage the submarine has caused.

At the same time, the said team will also do coral assessment in the area.

Investigation will be done by a three-member team from the DENR 7 led by the Coastal Resources and Management Division (CMMD) and EMB-7’s Environmental Management Specialist II Efren Cortes.

 â€œWe will make the necessary recommendations to the issuing authority or agency once the report is completed and reviewed,” DENR7 Executive Director Isabelo Montejo said.

DENR spokesman Eddie Llamedo said that DENR 7 has not issued any permit for the operation of the yellow submarine.  (FREEMAN)