Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday, January 10 criticized the “inexplicable silence” of the Philippine and United States (US) government regarding the shipment of 39 million gallons of fuel from Pearl Harbor to Subic Bay Freeport.
Marcos said the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ought to explain the reason and circumstances behind the shipment to the public for transparency.
Data from several international shipping trackers show that the oil cargo was loaded at Pearl Harbor on the U.S.-registered tanker, Yosemite Trader, on December 20. The shipment entered Philippine territory on Tuesday, January 9.
As of Wednesday morning, Marcos said the Yosemite Trader remained in its position overnight on some 50 kilometers west of Subic Bay, citing records from shipping tracker Marine Vessel Traffic.
Marcos, who chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said the "inexplicable silence" of both the Philippine and U.S. governments on the matter merely raised suspicions about the pre-positioning of military supplies in the country amid predictions of an eventual war between China and the U.S. over Taiwan.
“Not again! This is strike three in attempting to deprive the Filipino people of the right to know,” Marcos said.
Last year, the President’s sister exposed the covert request of the US to temporarily house Afghan refugees in the Philippines.
She also scored the advisory lapses regarding the multiple landings of C-17 Globemasters of the U.S. Air Force in the country’s domestic and international airports.
“The Mutual Defense Treaty is not a license to leave the Filipino people in the dark,” the senator pointed out.
She said it is baffling to think where the millions of gallons of fuel would be stored since Subic is not included in the list of sites under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
“This is not just an issue of foreign policy but of Philippine sovereignty, even environmental safety. The government better have a clear explanation for this,” the lawmaker said.