A coalition of Filipino and American environmental groups has filed a case against the U.S. Defence Department to compel Washington to assess the level of toxic and hazardous waste found at the two former U.S. military bases in central Luzon.
A coalition of Filipino and American environmental groups has filed a case against the U.S. Defence Department to compel Washington to assess the level of toxic and hazardous waste found at the two former U.S. military bases in central Luzon.
The lawsuit was filed at the U.S. Federal District Court House in San Jose California, on behalf of 36 residents from the communities around the former U.S. Clark airbase in Angeles, Pampanga and the former Subic naval base in Olongapo, Zambales.
"The suit seeks to enforce provisions of U.S. environmental laws in the U.S., which require the U.S. government to investigate the extent of environmental contamination in territories controlled by the U.S. military," said the coalition.
Scott Allen, who represents the group's U.S.-based lawyer said: "This suit is being brought under the citizen suit provision of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, better known as the Superfund law (in the U.S.). The purpose of the suit is to force the U.S. navy and air force to conduct the assessment."
Alex Lacson, the Manila-based lawyer who represents the residents around the former U.S. bases, said even if the case does not call for compensation, an environmental assessment on the site would reinforce earlier cases filed by the residents who had asked for compensation from the U.S. government.
Many residents claimed they have been suffering from illnesses caused by toxic waste contamination from the two former U.S. bases.
Earlier, the residents filed suits against both the U.S. and Philippine governments for damages. Those who complained of asbestos contamination have sought compensation from asbestos manufacturers and suppliers to the former U.S. military bases.
In April 2000, a Philippine government task force confirmed toxic contamination in 26 areas inside the Clark Special economic processing zone in Pampanga and the Subic freeport zone in Zambales.
A study by the Philippine task force on hazardous wastes showed that alarming levels of toxic material are found in several areas on the former U.S. bases.
The study identified the contaminants as petroleum hydrocarbons, organochlorine, organophosphate, pesticides, benzene, arsenic, unexploded ordinance, asbestos and metal-contaminated ash and sand.
The U.S. government abandoned the Clark airbase after it was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Pinatubuo on June 12, 1990.
The U.S. government pulled out its naval force in 1992, after the Philippine Senate, in 1991, rejected a U.S.-proposed extension of the military bases.
Since 1991, the U.S. government has proposed several agreements, which were approved, and led to the restoration of the U.S. military presence in the country in 1998.
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