Sen. Marcos questions shipment of 39 M gallons of fuel from Pearl Harbor

[Lee]

Quote

 

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday questioned the supposed shipment of 39 million gallons of fuel of the United States’ Navy from Pearl Harbor to Subic.

Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on foreign relations, demanded an explanation from the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“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 and entered Philippine territory on Tuesday,” said Marcos in a statement.

“As of Wednesday morning, the Yosemite Trader remained in its position overnight some 50 kilometers west of Subic Bay, according to shipping tracker Marine Vessel Traffic,” she added.

Marcos likewise lamented what she dubbed as “inexplicable silence” of both the Philippines and U.S. governments on the matter.

She particularly noted that this move only fuels 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.

The senator emphasized that the nations’ Mutual Defense Treaty is “not a license to leave Filipinos in the dark,” adding that Subic is not an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement site — further questioning where in Philippine territory will millions of gallons of oil be stored.

“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,” Sen. Marcos said.

The senator emphasized that the nations’ Mutual Defense Treaty is “not a license to leave Filipinos in the dark,” adding that Subic is not an Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement site — further questioning where in Philippine territory will millions of gallons of oil be stored.

“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,” Sen. Marcos said.

 

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1887315/imee-marcos-on-shipment-of-39m-gallons-of-fuel-from-pearl-harbor-to-ph#ixzz8OS2om97l
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[Lee1154]

Wow, it is out in the open.  I would not think that anyone would want a fuel stock location to be known by the enemy.

Edited January 11 by Lee1154

[scott h]

3 hours ago, Lee said:

loaded at Pearl Harbor on the U.S.-registered tanker, Yosemite Trader,

It wasnt a secret. 

It was one ship, scheduled months in advance to refuel the US Naval ships that were in Manila last week. The ship is civilian owned and if you google it there is a ship tracker ap that will show you its current location.

Imee was just using this to get her name in the news.

19 minutes ago, Lee1154 said:

known by the enemy.

Not everything is a conspiracy

 

 

Edited January 11 by scott h
add

[OnMyWay]

SBMA ISSUES OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON YOSEMITE TRADER IN THE PORT OF SUBIC
This pertains to the news that have circulated in social media and other media platforms regarding the vessel Yosemite Trader which had allegedly reached the Port of Subic on January 9, 2024.
Yosemite Trader, an oil products tanker that is registered in the United States, applied for Entry Clearance at the Seaport Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority on January 2, 2024, through its ship agent Parsh Marine Philippines, Inc. The vessel carried 5million gallons of F-76 which is a type of military fuel for ships that are equipped with the latest turbine engines.  The cargo was to be transferred from a US military facility at Red Hill, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to the Philippine Coastal Storage and Pipeline Corporation, a commercial fuel storage facility in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
In the morning of the scheduled arrival however, ship agent Parsh Marine requested for the cancellation of the vessel’s Entry Clearance, accordingly due to the absence of a “diplomatic clearance" from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It is clear therefore that Yosemite Trader has not entered the waters of Subic Bay, and was not able to discharge its cargo at the storage facility as earlier reported.
----------End of Statement----------

[Lee1154]

After Taiwan, is the Philippines next?

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Lee1154 said:

After Taiwan, is the Philippines next?

Next for what?

[Avalon]

https://www.manilatimes.net/2024/01/13/news/afp-to-investigate-subic-fuel-transfer/1927919

"...THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will investigate the attempted shipment of 39 million gallons of fuel from a US military base in Hawaii to a commercial storage facility in the Subic Bay Freeport in Zambales.

In an interview late Thursday, AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said: "We started an investigation also, so we are ready to present the facts we have unearthed about this importation of gasoline into the country..."

Looks like the US military was pre-positioning it in SBMA without anyone's knowledge or consent in the relevant agencies.

"...The Yosemite Trader did not enter the waters of Subic Bay and was not able to discharge its cargo at the storage facility, as earlier reported by the US Embassy and some media outlets, the SBMA said.

Marcos said the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the US "is not a license to leave the Filipino people in the dark."

"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," she said..."

Good to see there is some vigilance

[Mike J]

So the Philippines expects the US to protect them in the advent of war/invasion etc. but does not want them to store fuel here. 

[Avalon]

3 hours ago, Mike J said:

So the Philippines expects the US to protect them in the advent of war/invasion etc. but does not want them to store fuel here. 

There does not appear to be any threat of war or invasion of the Philippines by China aside from a dispute over the South China Sea that can and should be dealt with by negotiation between the two neighbours, or ASEAN in the wider context. 

In the bigger picture of their aspirations China has too many reasons not to resort to force in this regard unless provoked by third parties and their hand is forced.

The likelihood of war is currently between the US and China, I'd suggest the Philippines does not want to be dragged into it by means of valid targets being placed here - I certainly didn't move here to see foreign military assets stored around us. 

SBMA is a location for foreign investment in commercial enterprises, tourism and expat living.  There is no place for military materiel in this environment which is why under the recent agreements remote locations on AFP military bases were selected for any forward positions.

The fact the attempt to do this was done by stealth suggests this was crystal clear to all parties.

[craftbeerlover]

1 hour ago, Avalon said:

There does not appear to be any threat of war or invasion of the Philippines by China aside from a dispute over the South China Sea

"aside from a dispute..."  are you kidding me?  The Chinese are literally stealing/occupying Philippines territory.   You ask just about any Filipino you can find, what their thoughts are on the Chinese occupying their territory, chasing fishing vessels off of their fishing locations, building islands on their territory etc...   

1 hour ago, Avalon said:

The likelihood of war is currently between the US and China, I'd suggest the Philippines does not want to be dragged into it by means of valid targets being placed here - I certainly didn't move here to see foreign military assets stored around us. 

Philippines "ASKED" for our help and we said yes.   Did you move here to see the Philippines systematically overcome by the chinese?   Not only has organized crime (from China) escalated substantially over the last 10 years, I just wonder how many of these "workers/visitors" are here for other reasons?   "A total of 3.12 million Chinese citizens arrived in the Philippines from January 2016 to May 2018, data provided by the Bureau of Immigration."   They flooded (many illegally) this country to such an extent it forced programs like the SRRV visa program to say HALT, and subsequently reevaluate their requirement etc.  Maybe you did move here to see that?     A majority of Filipinos are more than happy to see the shift back towards a relationship with the USA.