Trixie Cruz-Angeles: Saving World Heritage

The Philippines is signatory to the World Heritage Convention, as is the United States. The Philippines signed in 1985, the US in 1973 – one of the few conventions that nation has entered into.

Art. 6 of that convention, states:

“Article 6

1.Whilstfully respecting the sovereignty of the States on whose territory the cultural and natural heritage mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 is situated, and without prejudice to property right provided by national legislation, the States Parties to this Convention recognize that such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate.
2. x x x
3. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 situated on the territory of other States Parties to this Convention.”

It is clear therefore that the United States ought to not undertake deliberate measures which could directly or indirectly damage World Heritage of any country. Note the term “directly or indirectly.” It is disturbing therefore for the USS Guardian’s captain to not only ignore the radioed warnings issued by Tubbataha’s manager and park rangers but it is downright insulting for said captain to say, “Take your complaints to the US Embassy.”

Can that captain spell, “ugly American syndrome”?

The incursion by the US Navy ship into protected waters does not only give rise to a heritage conservation issue, and a violation of internationally protected sites, but could have been interpreted as a belligerent act. For how else can one construe a war vessel – a mine sweeper, admittedly, but one with its own guns and one belonging to a foreign military – entering into protected territory and brusquely telling the locals to take the matter up with the Embassy? Were we not in such awe of US firepower and our own precarious position with China, it would have been well within the powers of Western Command to start shooting at the vessel. Maybe then it would have stopped and no reefs destroyed.

But firing shots at any incursion is beyond our comprehension, particularly when it concerns any foreign power with a better equipped military – which means about 90 per cent of the world.

Thus, we welcome President Aquino’s stance with the US. Put simply, he has told them, “Pay up and clean up. Then we start talking.”

Thank you, Mr. President. Good job on this one.


By: Atty. Trixie Cruz-Angeles
(Source : PSSST! Centro)




To know more about Trixie Cruz Angeles, check out: I AM TRIXIE CRUZ