Radioactivity in West Philippine Sea a cause for concern, says Hontiveros

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday called for further investigation on the findings of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) that there are high levels of radioactive materials in the West Philippine Sea.

"Let us be on guard. The PNRI needs to investigate the source of this radioactive material further, as this might be from nuclear-powered warships patrolling the area," she said in a statement.

"Alam natin na ang Tsina at Amerika ay nagpapatrol sa WPS. The tension between the US and China poses a serious threat to security and peace in the Philippines and the ASEAN region. We must not allow the WPS to become a battleground of these great powers," she added.

Citing information from PNRI Director Carlo Arcilla, the senator said the radioactive material iodine-129 was found in corals in the West Philippine Sea.

Most iodine-129 in the environment around the world came from nuclear weapons testing which were conducted in the 1950s and 1960s, Hontiveros said, and is now found at very low levels.

She stressed, however, that the PNRI observed the presence of higher iodine-129 level in the West Philippine Sea than the surrounding areas.

Hontiveros said that militarization of the waters within the territory of the Philippines must stop before it's too late.

China is expected to seize control of some of the Philippines’ waterways if a war emerges between Beijing and Washington, former Philippine Armed Forces chief Emmanuel Bautista said last October.—LDF, GMA News