Monday, September 18, 2006
Scientists urge gov't to reveal true state of oil spill
AFTER government's gag order on the MT Solar 1 oil spill issue, scientists and environmentalists warned against hiding information about the incident from the public.
Aloysius Baiz, environmental chemist from the Center for Environmental Concern, said that with the gag order, government appears to be concealing what's really happening.
The government instructed several government agencies like the Philippine Coast Guard to refrain from issuing any statement regarding the update on the spill.
Baiz added that people are still worried over the MT Solar 1 situation.
"The public has the right to know the effects of the oil spill and the status of the cleanup," the group said.
Next week, the Save Our Seas movement will conduct a series of activities to demand government's attention on the right of the public to know what's happening.
Professor Rex Sadava of the University of the Philippines lambasted Baiz's group, saying it did not coordinate with concerned groups and agencies when it conducted a study.
Savada added that the group did not know of the situation in Taklong island, that it's a non-fishing area and was declared by the government in 1990 as a national marine reserved area in Guimaras.
The area was reportedly affected by the oil spill but the UPV management, which is the overseer, hasn't received any report regarding the pronouncement of Baiz's group. (JDB)
(September 18, 2006 issue)
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