Press Release
October 22, 2008

Loren warns refloating of Japanese warship may damage marine ecosystem

Senator Loren Legarda warned today that the fragile marine ecosystem in Sibuyan Sea may be damaged if a plan to refloat a a Japanese battleship which sank there pushes through.

"Surely, the warship is now home to marine life off the island of Romblon. Refloating it now would invite damage to the marine ecosystem there," said Legarda.

The process of recovering the ship, which was sunk on October 1944 nearing the end of World War II, may also imperil marine life in the area, she added.

Legarda said that sunken vessels usually act as man-made reefs, which harbor different marine life.

Nonetheless, Legarda recognized the historical and tourism benefits that may be derived from the plan, if environmental concerns are fully addressed before it is carried out.

The Musashi was the second and final Yamato class battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy, with the legendary Yamato as its sister ship.

Attacked by American dive bombers, the Musashi capsized to port, bringing down with her about 1,000 of her 2,299 crew.

"If this ship will ever be raised from the bottom of the sea, it should serve as a memorial to those who risked and sacrificed their lives for freedom and love of country," Legarda said.

"Like any war relic, it must serve as a reminder to the present and future generations of the senselessness of war."

A group of Japanese, headed by Kiyoshi Goto of the Japanese government, had made an offer to the Philippine government to refloat the ship at no cost to the Philippines.

The offer calls for the conversion of the ship into a tourist attraction and as a symbol of the friendship between the Philippines and Japan.

The wreck of the Musashi is believed to be located at 13 degrees 07'01" North, 122 degrees 31'59" East, off the Bondoc Peninsula in 4,430 feet of water.

Legarda is founder and chair of the environmental organization Luntiang Pilipinas.

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