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Environmental News Service

The case was filed Friday before the regional trial courts of Angeles City and Olongapo City. Attorney Alexander Lacson claims his clients were poisoned by toxic wastes left by the United States which abandoned Clark Air Field and the military base at Subic after the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

The class action lawsuit lists 122 plaintiffs who live near the former bases, used for decades by the U.S. military until it left in 1992.

Lacson said the victims are asking a total of $l02 billion against the U.S. government and 52 billion pesos (US$1.1 billion) from the Philippine government in actual, moral and exemplary damages for allegedly failing to enforce environmental laws.

Philippine Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez has confirmed toxic contamination in at least 10 places on Subic and 16 places on the Clark Air Field. No direct link to cases of cancer and other diseases among people living near the areas has been established by the government.

The lawsuit demands that a comprehensive investigation be carried out to determine the extent of damage to air, water, soil and human beings on the former bases.

The plaintiffs are also demanding a comprehensive clean up of Clark and Subic and the affected surrounding areas from hazardous chemicals and toxic wastes until they meet international standards for a healthy human habitation.

The lawsuit asks that the governments resettle the people affected by or living in the areas identified as contaminated by toxic wastes or hazardous chemicals and provide medical assistance for them.

Myrla Baldonado, national coordinator of Task Force on Bases Cleanup, says more than 100 people living near contaminated areas have died, most from cancer, since 1996. About 300 other people are ill due to the presence of lead, mercury, nitrates, cadmium and chromium on the former bases.

U.S. officials had no comment on the lawsuit, but they maintain that Washington has no legal obligation to clean up toxic wastes left at the former bases.

Defense Secretary William Cohen stated the U.S. position during a visit to the Philippines in August 1998. He said, "We occupied the facilities with our personnel and tried to maintain very sound environmental practices.

We left bases of considerable value to the Filipino people. We have made all information about the land use that we have available to the government and to the agencies. We have indicated that there are some private sector initiatives that hopefully will be of benefit to the Philippine government."

Subic Bay is now being promoted as "Asia's promising new tourist destination." A description produced by Filweb for the Department of Tourism, San Francisco, says the "deep natural harbor once contained America's largest military installation overseas and [was] a favorite rest and recreational center for the service men. When the U.S. Navy pulled out in 1992 after the destructive Mt. Pinatubo volcano eruption, it has since been transformed into a free port and Special Economic Zone."