Oil Spill in Bien-Unido Seas Study

Capitol officials of the Philippines have ordered the investigation into the reported oil spill allegedly perpetrated by a passing marine vessel apparently to prevent marine wildlife from being affected. The Office of Gov. Edgar Chatto last week, through provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio III, ordered the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) "to conduct an investigation and inquiry on the matter in coordination with concerned municipal officials." 

A letter from Mayor Nino Rey Boniel, who indorsed the police findings on the oil spill, the office has requested for "any appropriate assistance" on the reported oil discharge. BEMO has directed men to go to the scene of the oil spill, somewhere off Bilangbilangan Daku, an island-barangay of this town.

In his report to the mayor, polic chief PCInp. Felicito Injog Garcia of this town said that the incident took place off the said island on 6^th January 2012 at around 7PM, "more or less on which create panic to the islanders thereat."

 

Initial probe, police said, showed that M/V Elizabeth, with combined white, red and blue colours allegedly "did then and there deliberately dumped/splashes their waste used oil into the sea."

When high tide, the spill reached the shoreline of the island. The spilled oil was mixed with the waste garbage when it was discharged by the said vessel.

 

According to Garcia considered the incident quite manageable and the oil spill is no longer a threat to the marine life and the islanders. He stressed that there still a need to investigate further the incident and gather evidence to bring the responsible people to justice.