TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Coast Guard is investigating two vessels to determine the cause of an oil spill in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte last week.
Coast Guard Southern Leyte Station commander Lt. Commander Donna Liza Duran disclosed that they took samples from the oil that spilled into the sea to match them with those of the two ships.
Duran said the oil spill has spread about 500 meters from the shore of Barangay Benit which was reported by residents in the area to the Coast Guard station at the Port of San Ricardo on Friday, July 7.
The Marine Environmental Protection Group of the Southern Leyte Coast Guard station, together with barangay officials and residents, immediately conducted manual scooping and shoreline cleanup of the oily water mixture.
Duran added that a Coast Guard ship has arrived in San Ricardo with booms to prevent the oil spill from spreading which fortunately did not.
“There’s no need to panic because the spilled oil was already contained, including those left in the debris and stones at the shoreline,” Duran said.
The Coast Guard has used 100 absorbent pads as their cleanup operation continues on the shoreline in Barangay Benit.
Duran appealed to residents not to fish at this time for safety.