Two cases filed against Sulpicio Lines

CEBU - Civil cases for damages continue to pour in against the Sulpicio Lines Incorporated five months after the MV Princess of the Stars capsized at the height of Typhoon Frank in the seawaters off Sibuyan Island.

A wife of a seaman filed the 35th damage suit against the shipping firm and its corporate officials, demanding more than P17 million in actual and compensatory damages before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

Baby Lyn Bejona of barangay Poblacion Dalaguete, Cebu accused the shipping company of being negligent that resulted in the untimely demise of her husband.

Bejona said her husband Pablito was on his way home to Cebu after a medical examination in Manila when the incident happened. Pablito was scheduled to leave for overseas employment.

Though she admitted having received P200,000 and was made to sign a quit claim, Bejona said it was for the insurance benefits of her husband from the Oriental Assurance Corporation.

According to Bejona, the document she signed has no force and effect because it was contrary to morals and public policy.

“Defendants are liable for negligence and breach of contract of carriage when it failed to exercise extraordinary diligence in transporting its passengers to their destination in Cebu,” Bejona said in her petition for damages.

Bejona said her husband was only 39 years old at the time of his death and was earning $1,090.62 monthly or P52,349.76 as overseas seaman.

She said that the shipping company’s negligence has deprived her family P17.2 million, which is the total earnings of her husband that she is demanding to be paid as actual damages.

On top of it, Bejona is likewise demanding P800,000 in moral and exemplary damages, excluding the 20 percent of the total damages to be awarded by the court as attorney’s fee.

A wife of an oiler also filed a multi-million peso damage suit against Sulpicio Lines Incorporated yesterday.

Perlita Sanguenza of Tontonan, Loon Bohol filed a P5.221 million damage suit against the shipping company and the ship captain for the loss of her husband Lucrecio, who is contracted to work as an “oiler” of an international shipping company.

Named defendants were Sulpicio Lines Inc, Ship Captain Florenacio Marimon and its shipping officials SLI President Enrique Go and Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Go.

Victims' kin lament as Sulpicio breaks word on ‘Princess’ salvage job

MANILA, Philippines - Kin of victims who perished in the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy face a bleak Christmas as there are no takers have yet to surface for the last part of the salvage job on the ill-fated vessel.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo admitted Sulpicio Lines Inc. has yet to contract a salvage firm for the last salvage stage.

Tamayo said he has communicated with Sulpicio and reminded it of its promise to get the shipwreck off Romblon before Christmas.

Kin of the victims twitted the ship's owner Sulpicio Lines Inc. for breaking its promise to retrieve their loved ones' remains and get the shipwreck out of the Romblon area before Christmas.

Levi Samuel, a spokesman for the relatives, reminded Sulpicio of its promise earlier this year to retrieve the remains of their loved ones and to remove the shipwreck before Christmas.

The MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon after encountering stormy weather at the height of typhoon Frank last June.

Samuel lamented that Sulpicio chose the last part of the salvage operations to "falter" on its promise.

Earlier, kin of the victims scored the sudden silence of Sulpicio on efforts to retrieve the remains of their loved ones.

Samuel reminded Sulpicio and government authorities of their promise to retrieve the remains of all 500-plus victims from the wreck.

He said some of them had already accepted the possibility the retrieval of remains will not be completed in time for Christmas.

3 PCG officials face jail term for 'MV Princess of the Stars' tragedy

MANILA, Philippines - Three ranking Coast Guard officials face dismissal from the service and a six-year jail term as the Ombudsman endorsed a complaint against them over the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy.

The Office of the Ombudsman said it’s Field Investigation Office (OMB-FIO) endorsed for preliminary investigation the complaint filed against the three.

It identified the respondents as Luis Tuazon, Commander for Metro Manila and Central Luzon; Erwin Balagas, commander for Manila and Felix Rizalde Sardan, Petty Officer I, of the Coast guard Manila station.

"(The three) have acted at the very least gross inexcusable negligence when they failed to perform faithfully the duties they are required to do during the occurrence of typhoon Frank. Their acts caused undue injury to the people of Romblon whose lives and livelihood were gravely affected, to the marine environment whose fragile ecosystem was gravely endangered, to the bereaved families who lost their love ones when MV Princess of the Stars sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon, and above all to public safety and national interest," assistant Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni, chief of the Ombudsman Field Investigation Office said in an article on the Ombudsman website.

The respondents face dismissal from the service and imprisonment for six years if found guilty of the administrative and criminal charges, the Ombudsman said.

The officials were charged with violating the anti-graft law, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

In its report, the OMBFIO said the three did not faithfully perform their duties and responsibilities in the enforcement of maritime safety laws.

It cited PCG Memorandum Circular No. 04-07, which bars vessels from sailing except to take shelter if Public Storm Warning 3 is hoisted within its point of origin, route and point of destination.

Under the circular, the three commanders were responsible for monitoring the prevailing weather conditions and plotting in the weather to chart the forecast position of the typhoon.

The OMBFIO report added that the respondents allowed the vessel to sail for Cebu on 20 June 2008, despite warning signals issued by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Also, it said they failed to monitor the movement of typhoon Frank and plot the danger sector from the path of the typhoon, which would have made them realize that the MV Princess of the Stars was not moving away but moving toward a collision course with the eye of the typhoon.

 

- GMANews.TV

Coast Guard to fully cooperate in Ombudsman probe into ‘MV Princess of the Stars’ tragedy

MANILA, Philippines - The Coast Guard on Thursday said it will fully cooperate in the Ombudsman's investigation into the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said he has ordered the agency's legal department to prepare documents needed in the investigation.

Tamayo also said he has ordered the officials concerned to prepare themselves for investigation, though he said he has yet to receive a formal summons from the Ombudsman's field investigating office.

The MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of Typhoon Frank.

 

- GMANews.TV

Divers in ‘Princess’ retrieval ops to undergo debriefing

MANILA, Philippines - The 17 divers of salvor firm Harbor Star are set to undergo psycho-debriefing tests Wednesday to ensure that they are free from mental stress for their involvement in search and retrieval operations inside the capsized MV Princess of the Stars in Romblon.

Doctors from the Department of Health (DOH) will conduct the psycho-debriefing procedures at the Harbor Star office in Makati City.

“The purpose of the psycho-debriefing is to assess the health condition of the divers and to make sure that they are not suffering from mental stress,” said Rodrigo Bella, Harbor Star project manager.

Bella said phase two of the operations, which was the removal of the bodies from the ill-fated ship, was “a very unusual experience” for the drivers. The said phase lasted for 16 days wherein 199 bodies were retrieved from the ship.

"They (divers) went through all the possible areas with passengers including the navigational deck, chapel and mini-theater for possible human remains. That is why there is a need for them to undergo a debriefing process," Bella said.

Aside from psycho-debriefing tests, the divers will also be provided two-day vacations courtesy of the company. Bella said this would be done in batches.

MV Princess of the Stars, owned and operated by Sulpicio Lines Inc., capsized off Sibayan Island at the height of typhoon “Frank” last June 21. It was carrying 864 passengers and crews.

Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) chief Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said they would review the report submitted by Harbor Star to ensure that phase two had covered all areas.

"We would evaluate the completion report, to determine if we are satisfied with the phase two."

Tamayo earlier said that even if Harbor Star terminated its search and recovery operations last Nov. 10, he had appealed to Sulpicio Lines Inc. to exhaust all possible means to find other bodies.

"If it is possible, they could still integrate the search for the bodies in phase three," he said, referring to planned retrieval of the main ship from Romblon waters.

 

- GMANews.TV

Sulpicio now blames captain for 'Princess' tragedy

MANILA, Philippines — After blaming God and the weather bureau, the owner of the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars now blames its captain for the tragedy that befell the ship last June.

Radio dzBB's Teresa Tavares reported Tuesday evening that Sulpicio Lines, Inc. claimed captain Florencio Marimon Sr. for not making the right decisions in the midst of typhoon Frank.

Marimon is believed to have been among the fatalities in the tragedy, where the ship capsized off Romblon province last June 21.

The officials of Sulpicio, washing their hands off any liability in the tragedy, said it was Marimon's duty to make the right decisions when faced with bad weather at the time.

 

- GMANews.TV

NBI: DNA sampling of ‘MV Princess of the Stars’ victims finished before Christmas

CEBU CITY, Philippines - The National Bureau of Investigation-Disaster Victim Identification (NBI-DVI) has already taken DNA samples of 111 out 199 remains recently retrieved from capsized MV Princess of the Stars off Romblon.

GMA’s network news Balitang Bisdak reported that only 88 cadavers were not sampled as of Friday. The NBI-DVI vowed to finish taking DNA samples before Christmas, the report added.

All the 199 remains represent the second batch of cadavers brought to Cebu for testing at the processing site located at the Cebu International Port.

The NBI is encouraging the families of the victims to submit themselves for DNA sampling for possible match-up with still-unidentified victims.

 

- GMANews.TV

Salvage firm claims ‘MV Princess of the Stars’ operations completed; PCG not satisfied

A salvage firm contracted to retrieve remains of passengers of the capsized MV Princess of the Stars formally reported Monday it has completed its search for victims still trapped in the ship, but still failed to satisfy the Coast Guard.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo instructed Harbor Star to continue searching for remains of passengers aboard the ship.

Harbor Star is the firm contracted by Sulpicio Lines Inc., owner of the capsized vessel, to retrieve chemicals and remains of passengers from the ship.

Tamayo said he was not satisfied with the 199 passengers recovered by Harbor Star, saying more than 500 were missing when the ship capsized last June at the height of typhoon "Frank."

In its report submitted to Tamayo, Harbor Star said it had searched all possible passengers' spaces, including Decks A, B and C, and the navigation bridge, theater, and dining area.

On the other hand, Tamayo reminded Harbor Star to submit its salvage plans to remove the shipwreck from the Romblon area.

Until the shipwreck is removed, he added, the Coast Guard will keep its oil spill response team at Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

Retrieved bodies from MV Princess in Cebu today

CEBU CITY — Some 127 bodies and body parts retrieved from the capsized MV Princess of the Stars are expected to be brought today to Cebu City from Sibuyan Island in Romblon, authorities said.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city is ready for the arrival of the bodies that were retrieved in the capsized vessel.

He expressed sadness over the fact that the retrieval operation recovered only less than half of the expected 500 bodies trapped in the vessel.

"If the salvaging team decides to end its operations, Sulpicio Lines and other agencies concerned should explain to the families of the still missing victims why the choose to discontinue the retrieval," Rama said.

The salvage company, Harbor Star, said the advanced decomposition of the bodies in the vessel due to sea water made the recovery very hard. The presence of endosulfan also delayed the retrieval operations.

Rama said, however, the city government has already mapped out plans for the arrival of the bodies and body parts that were retrieved from the capsized MV Princess of the Stars.

Rama said Cebuanos need not worry about health concerns with the arrival of the bodies and body parts, noting that the Department of Health (DoH) has assured the city government that the bodies that will be brought to Cebu are not contaminated with the poisonous chemical endosulfan.

"The city is ready, and the DoH has assured us that the bodies are not contaminated and will not pose any health risk to the Cebuanos," said Rama.

The recovered remains will be stored in the mobile morgue facilities prepared by the Disaster Victims Identification (DVI) unit located at the Cebu International Port.

Samples of the recovered bodies would then be sent to Sarajevo, Bosnia for DNA testing to identify the victims.

Supt. Anthony Obenza, chief of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime-Visayas Field Office and PRO 7 information officer, said preparations for the arrival of the dead bodies are already under way.

Meanwhile, Rama advised the families and relatives of those still missing not to travel yet to Cebu pending the identification of the bodies.

Rama said it would be useless for families to go to the port area in Cebu where the mobile morgue is situated because they will not be allowed to enter the compound.

He said relatives and families should instead wait for an official call from the Disaster Victim Identification Team, composed of the International Police and the National Bureau of Investigation, to claim the bodies of their loved ones.

There were 850 passengers and crew members on board when the Stars capsized in the waters off Sibuyan Island in Romblon last June 21. Thirty were reported to have survived the tragedy.

‘MV Princess of the Stars’ salvage firm fails to meet deadline

MANILA, Philippines - A salvage firm retrieving bodies from the capsized MV Princess of the Stars admitted it will no longer be able to meet its Thursday deadline to retrieve all the remaining passengers trapped inside the vessel.

Radio dzBB's Teresa Tavares reported that Harbor Star officials said they still need to scour Deck A of the ill-fated vessel on Friday, a day after the deadline lapses.

The firm said debris got in the way of divers looking for remains to retrieve.

More than 500 passengers remain trapped in the vessel, which capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of Typhoon Frank.

As of Thursday noon, the report said the remains of 165 passengers had been retrieved.

Slow pace of ‘MV Princess of the Stars’ retrieval efforts scored

Relatives of missing passengers of the capsized MV Princess of the Stars scored salvage firms Monday for the "slow" pace of retrieving the remains of their dearly departed.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Monday that Levi Samuel, a spokesman for the relatives, voiced fears salvage firm Harbor Star may not meet its Christmas "deadline" to finish its job.

Samuel said that while more than 600 passengers remain missing to date, noting that only less than 150 have been recovered during the All Saints' weekend.

At such a slow pace, he said it is doubtful that Harbor Star can finish the job within the two weeks it promised to recover the remains of the passengers.

The MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of Typhoon Frank.

PCG: Recovered bodies from ‘Princess’ now at 36

MANILA, Philippines - The number of bodies recovered from the capsized MV Princess of the Stars rose to 36 after divers retrieved the remains of three more victims as retrieval operations continued on its third day.

A radio dzBB report quoted Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo as saying that as of Tuesday afternoon, the number of bodies recovered on Tuesday alone rose to 16, raising the total number of bodies retrieved from the capsized ship to 36.

Divers from salvage group Harbor Star and counterparts from the Coast Guard had been searching the ship since Sunday for remains of more than 500 passengers trapped inside.

Tamayo said he has instructed the divers to search all accommodation spaces, including other decks of the ship, for remains.

"Ginagawa natin ang lahat na paraan (We are doing all we can)," Tamayo said in an interview on dzBB radio.

He also said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has a team on standby to identify bodies that will be retrieved from the capsized vessel.

The Sulpicio Lines-owned MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 at the height of typhoon "Frank."

8 bodies inside MV Princess recovered

SIBUYAN ISLAND, Romblon - The recovery of the remains of passengers trapped inside the MV Princess of the Stars started Sunday morning, with the divers fishing out eight bodies.

Rodrigo Bella, project manager of the Harbor Star, the salvor company, said the eight bodies came from the economy deck of the sunken ship.

He said the retrieval operations might take at least two weeks, depending on the weather conditions. The bodies, officials of the NBI said, were in advanced state of decomposition as expected.

But Dr. Renato Bautista, the NBI official in charge of identifying the bodies assured the families of the victims that DNA samples could still be retrieved from the bodies for their identification, despite the remains’ advanced state of decomposition.

“There is no problem getting the DNA sample. We’re trying to get as much as bone samples as possible,” said Bautista.

DNA samples from the bone tissues of the bodies will be collected and sent to a DNA testing center in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. After a few weeks, the results will be sent back to the NBI in Cebu, where the remains would be sent for final identification and retrieval by families.

Bautista is appealing to families to present themselves to the NBI for DNA matching.

The Philippine Coast Guard said that of the missing 515 passengers, it believed that most have been in the sunken ferry.

The MV Princess of the Stars, the flagship of the Sulpicio Lines Inc., sank off Simbulan Island, Romblon, last June 21 at the height of typhoon “Frank.” Only over 30 persons survived, over 200 bodies were recovered from surrounding coastlines and over 500 are expected to be recovered from the sunken ferry.

The Board of Marine Inquiry has recommended the cancellation of SLI’s license to operate passenger and cargo ships for negligence.

Sulpicio OKs retrieval of bodies from ‘Princess’

After several days' delay, the owner of the capsized MV Princess of the Stars finally cleared the way for the retrieval of bodies of passengers still trapped inside the vessel.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Wednesday that Sulpicio Lines Inc finally submitted to the Philippine Coast Guard a full report and certification that earlier stages of retrieval are finished.

Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the report includes a formal certification that the retrieval of endosulfan and toxic chemicals had been completed.

Tamayo earlier got irked over Sulpicio's failure to submit its full report on time. The report and certification are needed to pave the way for the retrieval of bodies of passengers still trapped in the capsized ship.

MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon June 21, at the height of Typhoon Frank.

In the interview, Tamayo said the Coast Guard will now determine the stability of the capsized ship after the endosulfan and toxic chemicals had been removed.

He said they need to determine the ship's stability so as not to endanger the lives of divers once they start to retrieve the bodies.

PCG to ‘Princess’ victims' kin: Stay away from retrieval site, wait in Cebu

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday warned relatives of the victims of MV Princess of the Stars against going to the site of the retrieval operations, reiterating that no one is allowed to go beyond the one-kilometer radius limit.

A report over radio dzBB said PCG commandant vice admiral Wilfredo Tamayo made statement amid reports that the relatives' spokesman, Levi Manuel, said the relatives plan to go to the site of the operations to await the retrieval of the victims' bodies.

Tamayo instead advised the relatives to stay and wait in Cebu, where the remains will be brought.

Last week, Tamayo said the retrieval of the bodies may begin Monday after the completion of the toxic waste extraction from the capsized ship.

The Sulpicio Lines-owned MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21 during the height of typhoon "Frank," leaving hundreds of crew and passengers dead.

‘Princess’ victims' kin plan ‘protest Mass’ at Sibuyan

Kin of victims of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy are planning a "protest mass" to dramatize their disgust over the slow pace of salvage work on the capsized ship.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported Monday that the relatives' spokesman Levi Samuel said they refused to accept repeated excuses from Sulpicio Lines, owner of the ship.

Samuel also said they are tired of hearing excuses from Transportation Undersecretary Elena Bautista, who heads a task force on the tragedy.

He said they could not understand why Sulpicio is still getting the kid-glove treatment despite repeated delays in the salvaging operations for the ship.

Samuel said they are planning a Mass for the victims on Sibuyan Island in Romblon, near the site of the capsized ship, with running priest Robert Reyes presiding.

"MV Princess" ship captain buried

The family of Boholano ship captain Florencio Marimon Sr. broke their silence on Wednesday as the skipper of the sunken MV Princess of the Stars was laid to rest in Cebu.

Rose Marimon, the wife of Florencio Sr., appealed for understanding from the victims of the sea tragedy saying they "all suffered losses." Rose said the family did not mean to hide the captain but only wanted to mourn in private and spend the past days with Florencio Sr. She said the family was planning to announce her husband's death only after the burial at the Pardo Public Cemetery.

According to Rose, the body of her husband was among 76 remains retrieved in Masbate on July 21, a month after the vessel sank near Sibuyan Island, Romblon at the height of typhoon "Frank".

The body of Florencio Sr., whose roots is from Catagbacan, Loon town, was identified by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) victims' identification team last Sunday.

The DNA of the captain's remains matched those submitted by his relatives. Suspicions that the ship captain was still alive and in hiding ended with his burial last Wednesday.

Florencio Sr., who would have turned 55 in October, was reported to be alive after his family purportedly received a phone call from him informing them that he survived the sea tragedy and was somewhere in Iloilo City the day after the vessel capsized off Romblon.

Marimon had been with Sulpicio Lines Inc., the owner of the Princess of the Stars, since 1976 and rose through the ranks to become on of the shipping firms most trusted skippers.

Rose was accompanied by her five children, two of whom are still in college, during the burial. There were at least 59 Boholanos reported missing after the sinking of the "MV Princess of the Stars".

Capsized 'Princess' starting to sink - report

Nearly three months after it capsized off Romblon in the wake of typhoon Frank, the MV Princess of the Stars is beginning to sink into the water, Romblon residents said Friday.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that San Fernando town mayor Nanette Tansingco said the ship's name is now only partly visible even during low tide, a sign it had started sinking.

Tansingco said this may pose problems for authorities who had taken the ship's position into consideration when they mapped out their initial contingency plans.

She scored the salvage firms contracted by Sulpicio Lines Inc., owner of the capsized ship, for their continued delay in bringing in their equipment.

Tansingco noted salvage operations were initially due to start last Sept. 1 but had been delayed to at least Sept. 24.

Salvage operations were to concentrate first on getting out chemicals and endosulfan from the ship, so divers can later on retrieve bodies of victims still trapped inside.

‘Princess' victims’ kin slam Sulpicio delaying tack

Kin of victims in the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy scored Sulpicio Lines Inc. for yet another round of delaying tactics, this time at the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that the relatives said the latest tactic involved Sulpicio lawyer Arthur Lim's questioning the credibility of the Board of Marine Inquiry report.

The BMI had recommended that Sulpicio's franchise be suspended, after finding that human error caused the MV Princess of the Stars to capsize off Romblon at the height of typhoon Frank last June.

Marina is now taking up the BMI report as an input in its hearings on the matter.

Levi Samuel, a spokesman for the relatives, said Marina acting head Elena Bautista, who also heads a task force on the tragedy, to show Sulpicio it cannot have its way.

Union doubts competence of MARINA OIC

Employees of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) have raised questions regarding the qualifications of their new officer in charge, transportation undersecretary Elena Bautista.

“Our union is concerned because Bautista does not have actual experience in the maritime sector unlike our previous administrator, Vicente Suazo,” who had served with the Philippine Port Authority.

Bautista took over as officer in charge following the recent resignation of Vicente Suazo.

The employees were apparently disappointed that Malacañang did not choose Suazo’s replacement from the current crop of Marina executives.

“The two deputy administrators, Gloria Banas and Col. Primo Rivera, could have been promoted,” said Arnie Santiato, president of the MARINA employees association.

In public eye

“Members of our union are concerned that their years of experience working for Marina will also be wasted if outsiders with no experience are simply appointed by Bautista to various posts,” Santiago said in a phone interview.

The maritime authority has been in the public eye recently because of the investigations into the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars at the height of Typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen) in June.

The public is watching whether MARINA will cancel the franchise of the sunken ship’s owner, Sulpicio Lines, whose ships have been involved in other major maritime accidents.

Suazo said his departure, which surprised MARINA employees, was not due to “political pressure.”

“I sounded out the president maybe a month ago. I had been considering quitting for a long time,” Suazo said.

Sulpicio hearings

Suazo said MARINA’s hearings on the proposed cancellation of Sulpicio Lines’ franchise will not be affected by the change in leadership. The hearings, he said, were being conducted by an independent body.

Bautista, for her part, said she has not received communication from the MARINA employees regarding their reservations on her appointment. She said there will be a general assembly on Thursday and she will take the opportunity to talk to employees.

Meanwhile, Sulpicio Lines Inc. has compensated nearly 600 families who lost relatives in the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars. Bautista said that of the 673 who filed claims, 589 have received P200,000 each.

MV Princess of the Stars captain is dead - RDCC

The Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) in Central Visayas confirmed on Tuesday that the missing captain of the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars was among those who died in the tragic sea mishap.

GMA’s Flash Report quoted RDCC officials as saying that the DNA samples submitted by Capt. Florencio Marimon’s family to forensic experts matched one of the recovered cadavers.

The television reports said that Marimon’s relatives already dropped by at the funeral homes in Cebu province where the captain’s body was being kept.

The relatives, however, were not immediately allowed to claim their loved one’s remains, the report added.

Dr Renato Bautista, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation’s Medico-Legal Division, said the family still has to present Marimon’s birth and marriage certificates before they can take home the skipper’s body.

Bautista and a team of 13 other forensic experts are leading the government efforts in identifying all the bodies fished out from the waters off Sibuyan Island.

Aside from the NBI, officials from the International Police and the International Commission on Missing Persons are extending their expertise to hasten the identification of the victims.

Marimon has earlier been deemed by the six-man panel from the Bureau of Marine Inquiry as “negligent" because he decided to pursue sailing amid rough seas triggered by Typhoon “Frank."

The BMI panel said that the ship captain failed to monitor the movement of the passenger ferry relative to the approaching typhoon. Marimon also released a delayed order for the passengers to abandon the ship, according to the panel.

The Sulpicio Lines Inc (SLI), owner of the capsized vessel, was also found to have failed in implementing effectively the Quality and Safety Management System and violated its certificate of public compliance certificate franchise.

The 300-ton vessel left Manila Friday night at the height of typhoon "Frank." It slammed into the wrath of "Frank" in the vicinity of Romblon province while on its way to Cebu in the morning of June 21.

At the time of the incident, Princess was carrying more than 800 passengers and crew. The SLI said 32 survived the tragedy while 312 bodies were recovered so far.

Retrieval operations were halted following the discovery of the endosulfan cargo.

Body of MV Princess captain identified, released to kin

Local authorities here have refused to confirm or deny that a wake in a mortuary of a church in Cebu City is that of Florencio M. Marimon Sr., the captain of the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars.

An insider at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, the depository of the bodies of the fatalities of the sea mishap, said the body of the missing captain was released to his family on Monday. But authorities refused to confirm or deny this, even if some media outlets reported that Marimon's body was already brought to a chapel.

The insider said Marimon's body was released to his wife and children on Monday morning. But the source said they did not record it officially because the release was made between the family and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The source added that the family requested that the release of the body be kept secret, adding that the family might have been scared of the media.

Dr. Renato Bautista, who headed the medico-legal team of NBI, refused to make any confirmation. "I can not confirm nor deny the story. There was an agreement between me and the Interpol group that all releases of the names should pass through Rose Borromeo. She is the PR (public relations consultant) of Interpol," Bautista said.

The Interpol has sent DNA experts to help in the identification of bodies retrieved from the area off Sibuyan Island, Romblon, where the MV Princess of the Stars sank during a storm last June 21. He explained that the names of all those identified have been given to Borromeo, who in turn would release the information every Thursday.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama who had a meeting with the members of the Disaster Victim Identification-National Bureau of Investigation (DVI-NBI) on Monday, also refused to make confirmation. "It should never come from me because that's a medico-legal matter, it should come from the DVI-NBI," Rama said.

Rama clarified that the policy covered not only Marimon’s case but all other bodies of victims in the sea accident. Rama said that during the meeting, he was told of 88 matched DNA samples and fatalities that were identified. He said around 70 bodies have been released to their families.

According to an ABS-CBN report, the alleged wake of Marimon was held at the Divine Mercy Chapel B of the Sacred Heart Church in Cebu City. A check with the Sacred Heart Church Mortuary showed that there was only one wake in the chapel. The guard on duty said the remains were not of Marimon.

The ABS-CBN reporter said she was first told that the wake was that of Marimon but when she returned with a microphone and a video camera, the mortuary staff denied that the wake was that of the missing skipper. The media, who wanted to check whether the remains were that of Marimon, was not allowed entry to the chapel.

Salvage operations for ‘Princess’ face another week's delay

Salvage operations on the capsized MV Princess of the Stars face another week's delay after the salvage firm chosen for the job faced another snag bringing its equipment to Ground Zero.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that Titan Salvage informed a task force handling the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy it will need at least four more days to get its equipment there.

The equipment is expected to reach the area near Sibuyan Island in Romblon, where the ill-fated vessel capsized in the wake of Typhoon Frank, early next week.

Salvage work on the capsized vessel was initially scheduled to start last Monday but Titan claimed recent cyclones that hit the Philippines delayed the entry of its equipment.

Marina explains delay in Princess' salvage operations

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Saturday asked the people of Romblon for a little more patience over the delay in operations to salvage the capsized MV “Princess of the Stars."

Romblon officials earlier expressed dismay after learning that salvage operations have been moved to September 24.

Marina Undersecretary Len Bautista told QTV's Balitanghali that they were having trouble with the barges that couldn't fit into the equipment of foreign firm Titan Salvage.

She said that the some equipment came from abroad while the barges came from the Philippines so some of them could not be used together and are now being fixed.
Ms. Bautista said that they were not in any haste to do anything.

"Kung mamadaliin pero masa-sacrifice din ang safety, madedehado din, baka lalong madisgrasya, hintayin na lang natin (If we hurry up the process, we might sacrifice safety, we would be at a disadvantage if something were to go wrong, let's just wait)," said Bautista.

According to the report, the salvaging process involved two phases. The first one's primary objective is to remove the chemical endosulfan while the second phase shall be concentrated on retrieving the bodies of the ship's dead passengers.

According to Task Force Princess Star, the salvaging operations were supposed to have started last July. The ill-fated vessel capsized near Sibuyan Island in Romblon in the wake of typhoon “Frank" last June.

Marina chief dared to sanction Sulpicio over latest sea mishap

The latest mishap involving another ship of Sulpicio Lines Inc. in Iloilo should be more reason for the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) to suspend its franchise, relatives of the victims in the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy claimed Friday.

Radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported that relatives of the victims said this should also be an opportunity for Marina officer-in-charge Elena Bautista to disprove her critics' claim that she is publicity-happy.

The report said the relatives also claimed this is a chance for Bautista to show she is made of stern stuff by going up against an "influential" firm like Sulpicio.

Sulpicio owns the MV Princess of the Stars, which capsized off Romblon last June at the height of Typhoon Frank. Hundreds of passengers died while bodies of more passengers remain trapped.

A Board of Marine Inquiry recommended that Sulpicio's franchise be suspended over the MV Princess of the Stars incident.

On Thursday, Sulpicio's cargo ship Cotabato Princess ran aground at Iloilo Port Thursday, damaging equipment used in building the port's extension.

The report said the MV Cotabato Princess itself sustained some damage. The Philippine Ports Authority is now waiting for the ship's captain to submit an explanation.

Initial investigation showed the MV Cotabato Princess had come from Zamboanga City and was about to dock at the port at noon Thursday when the accident occurred.

Sulpicio pays 589 claimant families of ‘Princess’ victims

Sulpicio Lines Inc. has compensated almost 600 families whose relatives went down with the MV Princess of the Stars on June 21, the Transport Department said on Wednesday.

Task Force Princess of the Stars chief Elena Bautista said in a text message on Wednesday that of the 673 claimants, 589 have been paid as of August 26.

Meanwhile, the salvage team contracted by Sulpicio Lines, Titan Salvage, is "expected on site (in Sibuyan Island) by September 10."

Criminal raps filed vs Sulpicio Lines execs, ‘Princess’ captain

The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) has filed criminal complaints against the officers of Sulpicio Lines Inc. and the missing captain of the MV Princess of the Stars in connection with the passenger vessel’s sinking last June 21.

Complainants in the suit, which was lodged before the Department of Justice (DOJ), were 13 families whose relatives were among those who perished in the incident.

MV Princess of the Stars was carrying more than 800 passengers and crewmembers when it sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province last June 21 during the height of typhoon “Frank.”

Named respondents in the suit were ship captain Florencio Marimon, Sulpicio Lines president Enrique Go; executive vice-president and chief executive officer Carlos Go; senior vice president and secretary Victoriano Go; and first vice presidents Dominador and Edgar Go.

PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said the respondents were charged with negligence and reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and serious physical injury.

In a 14-page complaint, Acosta said respondents should be held criminally liable for allowing the ship to set sail despite a declaration by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (Pagasa) that Storm Signal Nos. 2 and 3 were raised in the areas where the ship will navigate.

"Indeed, the negligence of the aforesaid respondent officials of Sulpicio has been shown by their absence of care and foresight to avoid damages, deaths and injuries to the passengers, respectively of said vessel,” Acosta said.

“Further the absence of skill on the part of respondent Captain Florencio Marimon was clearly demonstrated when he caused the M/V Princess of the Stars to navigate despite declaration of signal nos. 2 and 3 in the areas that it would be passing through, instead of seeking shelter,” she added.

The complainants said it would have been more prudent for the respondents to anchor the ship at the sheltered Calapan Bay and to have checked with Pagasa regarding the movement of typhoon “Frank” from time to time.

Acosta said MV Princess of the Stars, as attested by electronic surveillance monitoring equipment, was the only vessel at sea and did not take shelter when typhoon Frank struck on June 21.

PAO stated that the negligence of the respondents were further manifested when they allowed their ship to be loaded with some 40 metric tons of endosulfan and other toxic substances.

As part of their evidence, complainants attached copies of the Senate committee reports involving two other passenger vessels of Sulpicio Lines that met the same fate – the Doña Paz and MV Princess of the Orient – as proofs the shipping firm’s "habitual deliberate violations to exercise diligence in preventing sea disasters."

Criminal complaints filed against ferry owner, captain for capsizal

Criminal complaints have been filed against the owner and the missing captain of an ill-fated ferry that capsized in the central Philippines in June with more than 800 people on board, reports said on Tuesday.

The Public Attorney's Office has lodged the suit before the Philippine Department of Justice on behalf of 13 families whose relatives were among those who perished in the incident, Philippine TV GMA reported.

The Public Attorney's Office is an attached agency of the Philippine Department of Justice which provides indigent litigants free legal assistance.

The Sulpicio Lines-owned ferry, named MV Princess of the Stars, was carrying 862 passengers and crew members when it sank off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province on June 21 at the height of typhoon Fengshen (locally known as "Frank"). No more than 60 people on board survived and the captain is among the hundreds still missing. The vessel, with "many" bodies trapped inside, has not yet been retrieved till now.

Named respondents in the suit were ship captain Florencio Marimon and Sulpicio Lines president Enrique Go among others, according to the report.

Persida Rueda-Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney's Office, said the respondents were charged with negligence and reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide and serious physical injury.

In the 14-page complaint, Acosta said respondents should be held criminally liable for allowing the ship to set sail despite a declaration by the country's weather agency that ships are not seaworthy in the areas concerned.

"Indeed, the negligence of the aforesaid respondent officials of Sulpicio has been shown by their absence of care and foresight to avoid damages, deaths and injuries to the passengers, respectively of said vessel," Acosta said.

"Further, the absence of skill on the part of respondent Captain Florencio Marimon was clearly demonstrated when he caused the M/V Princess of the Stars to navigate despite declaration of signal nos. 2 and 3 in the areas that it would be passing through, instead of seeking shelter," she added.

Marina eyes decision on Sulpicio Lines’ fate by next week

The fate of Sulpicio Lines, Inc. after the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy may be known next week, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) said Wednesday. Marina administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. said they will adopt as "input" the findings of the Board of Marine Inquiry that recommended the suspension of shipping lines’ franchise.

"Meron kaming hiwalay na hearing na ginagampanan regarding the suspension of franchise of Sulpicio. Itong decision galing sa BMI will be an input to the ongoing hearing (We have our own hearings on the suspension of Sulpicio's franchise. The BMI decision will be an input to our ongoing hearing)," Suazo said in an interview on dzXL radio.

When asked when the Marina expects to come up with its report on the matter, he said it may come out as early as next week, barring additional postponements. He did not elaborate on what these "postponements" would be.

"Ongoing pa, sinusubukan naming tapusin itong linggo. Pero malamang kasi may mga postponements, most likely mga next week na yan (We want to finish it this week but because of many postponements, we may come out with it next week)," he said. Suazo, on the other hand, said they will also take into consideration the complaints and grievances of relatives of some 800 passengers of the ill-fated ship.

The MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon after encountering waves brought by Typhoon Frank last June. On Tuesday, the BMI recommended the suspension of Sulpicio's franchise after finding it neglected to perform its duties.

"Ang pamilya ng biktima, nag-file sila ng case against Sulpicio. Kino-combine namin lahat yan para di na gagawa ng separate hearing sa reklamo ng pamilya (Victims' relatives had filed civil cases against Sulpicio. We are factoring those in too, so we don't have to conduct separate hearings for them)," Suazo said.

Survivors happy with BMI report but still mad at Sulpicio

It was his last hope to run after the company whose alleged negligence may not have succeeded in taking his life, but destroyed it just the same.

This was the impassioned reaction of MV Princess of the Stars survivor Francisco Batula to the Board of Marine Inquiry’s report that Sulpicio Lines Inc. was accountable for the sinking of the ill-fated vessel.

Batula, a native of Samar province, said that Sulpicio Lines had not given any form of financial assistance to the survivors and the families left by those who died in the sea tragedy.

“I heard that Sulpicio gave P200,000 insurance money to the relatives of the dead,” Batula said in Filipino. He said that he only received P20,000 from the company’s insurance company as a survivor.

Small considering horror

“That’s too small, considering the horror we’ve gone through,” Batula said. He said he boarded the Princess of the Stars in June with the hopes of working as a tile-setter in Cebu City. However, his P5,000 worth of tools sank with the ill-starred ship. So did his dreams of a better job and a better life. “I want Sulpicio to pay for what I could have earned as a tile-setter,” said Batula, who now sells cigarettes in Cubao, Quezon City.

Eleanor Tria, a 28-year-old call center agent who lost her mother Gloria Catayas in the tragedy, said the BMI’s decision would strengthen the complaint they were planning to file against Sulpicio Lines. Catayas, a 54-year-old housewife, was to go home to Bohol via Cebu City after attending her son’s graduation in Manila.

Consolation to victims

“We are happy and thankful with the decision,” Tria said, pointing out that if the ship had not left the Port of Manila on June 20, the accident would not have happened. “The report is a consolation to the families of the victims,” Tria said.

She revealed that Sulpicio Lines had not offered relatives of the victims any form of assistance aside from the insurance money, adding that the employees even gave them a hard time while they were filing their financial claims. “They never reached out to us, considering that our mother was a passenger who was supposed to be in their care,” Tria said.

Dante Jimenez, leader of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, who is assisting the victims in their court battle against Sulpicio Lines, said the BMI decision would encourage more families to file complaints against the company. “The report only gives credence to allegations that officials of the company and the ship captain must be held liable for the deaths of the passengers,” Jimenez said.

PAO to pursue justice for 'Princess' tragedy victims

The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) reassured Wednesday the relatives of the victims of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy to help them pursue justice. PAO chief Persida Acosta said Wednesday the families of more than 800 victims are still waiting for justice for the tragedy where the ship capsized due to waves from Typhoon Frank.

"Kung ganoon talaga ang kanilang findings malaking passasalamat. May 800 pamilya umaasa sa katarungan (If that is the finding of the Board of Marine Inquiry, we are thankful. Relatives of more than 800 victims are seeking justice)," Acosta said in an interview on dzXL radio.

The BMI on Tuesday recommended the suspension of Sulpicio Lines Inc.'s franchise, for the ship owner's failure to ensure the safety of passengers. Sulpicio has 30 days to appeal the ruling. On the other hand, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) hinted it may come up with its decision on whether to suspend Sulpicio's franchise as early as next week.

Acosta said relatives of the victims reserve the right to pursue charges against Sulpicio. She said some families already filed civil suits against Sulpicio before the courts. Earlier, Acosta scored Sulpicio's attempts to escape litigation by having relatives of victims sign blank forms in exchange for financial aid.

"Sila walang kakayahan sumakay sa eroplano kaya sa barko mamamasahe. Isip nila baka hindi sila pansinin ng ating pamahalaan (The victims did not have money to buy plane tickets, so they decided to ride ships. We do not want their relatives to think the government is abandoning them)," she said.

Attempt to get toxic chemicals in 'Princess' to start Aug 29

The salvage operation of MV Princess of the Stars is expected to start on August 29 after the 21-day mobilization period requested by the salvor, Titan Salvage, to ship all their equipment in the country, a transportation official said.

"They asked for 21 days, so by August 29, we expect that they will conduct surveys on the condition of the containers. And after studying the status of the chemicals below, they will start retrieving the chemicals and the crude oil," according to Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Undersecretary for Maritime Affairs Elena Bautista.

In an interview with dzMM Saturday, Bautista said Titan Salvage was only given 30 days to recover the containers. MV Princess of the Stars, which was carrying more than 800 passengers and crew, sank off Sibuyan island, Romblon province in central Visayas last June 21 at the height of tropical storm Frank.

Earlier, Bautista said the foreign experts who made an assessment of the sunken ship have concluded that refloating the ship is not the best way to remove the oil and toxic and hazardous chemicals inside it. She said the experts don’t want the vessel moved since dragging it near the shore might break the vessel or the containers with the toxic and hazardous materials.

Bautista said they have already identified the areas where the fuel is stored. The salvaging team will use a hose that will suck out the fuel. Another hose will bring in air or other substances that will push the oil out to the other end. As to how best to retrieve the toxic and hazardous agrochemicals, Bautista said they will have to cut through the side of the vessel to penetrate the cargo.

Meanwhile, Bautista confirmed that DOTC will finally submit to Malacañang on Tuesday the Board of Marine Inquiry’s report on the sinking of MV Princess of the Stars.

BMI told to publicize Princess of Stars probe results

The Cebu Provincial Board on Monday asked the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) to publicize the results of its investigation on the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars, which is owned by Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI).

“It’s been more than a month since they started the investigation and until now we do not know of the result. The public deserves to know what has become of their investigation,” said Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong.

Maambong said Section 7, Article III of the 1987 Constitution states the people's right to information “on matters of public concern.” He formalized his request to the BMI through a resolution that the Provincial Board approved in Monday’s session.

The resolution said that while the investigation on the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars was already concluded “the public does not have an idea of the board’s findings regarding the cause of the sea tragedy except for some news accounts that point out to the ship captain’s negligence.”

Some 52 of the 825 passengers and crew of MV Princess of the Stars survived in the tragedy. Some 312 bodies were so far recovered. The rest were declared missing and presumed dead.

The victims’ families of filed civil cases in Manila and Cebu where the shipping company holds offices. They demanded damages. The most recent cases were filed by families from Mindanao, who lost their loved ones in the sea tragedy. They demanded damages amounting to at least P14.5 million.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) authorized two SLI cargo vessels to resume their operations. But Marina limited their operations to cargo pending the results of the investigation of the BMI. Maambong said it was important especially for the public to know if Sulpicio vessels are fit to sail.

“It is imperative that the public is informed of the cause of the sinking of the ill-fated ship so as to ensure the seaworthiness of the shipping fleets, and to see if the ship owners and operators and public officials have dutifully performed their respective responsibilities to ensure the safety of the passengers,” said Maambong’s resolution, which was seconded by Board Member Peter John Calderon.

Tempers flared in MV Princess of the Stars hearing, no conclusive results

On its fourth hearing yesterday, what House transportation committee chair Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella planned as a wrap up questioning of the people accused to be responsible for the June sinking of MV Princess of the Stars turned into a heated grilling by several congressmen who threatened to cite some resource persons in contempt.

“Our guests are trying to avoid responsibility. I’ve been pissed off with this investigation. These people are not answering truthfully. I think we should hold this people in contempt. It’s an insult to this body,” Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante said in an outburst during the six-hour hearing and then walked out of the room. He quickly returned, looking composed.

The same suggestion was made by Tarlac Rep. Jose Yap during the hearing. “We are going deeper,” Puentevella told abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak after the hearing past 7 p.m. last night when asked to assess how the hearings have been going so far. “We need one more hearing. You know why? We still have the BMI (Board of Marine Inquiry) report. We have to discuss the findings,” he added.

The past three hearings, held during the recess, averaged seven hours each. BMI is scheduled to submit its findings on Friday, August 1 to the Task Force Princess of the Stars headed by Department of Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Undersecretary Len Bautista.

The House hearings on the sunken MV Princess of the Stars were diligently attended by Sulpicio Lines’ first vice-president Edgar Go together with his lawyers and the hired salvor, and officials of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), DOTC’s Bautista, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Marina, and the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) among other stakeholders.

Sulpicio promises to foot the bill in salvaging ‘Princess’

Even after filing for a notice of abandonment for the MV Princess of the Stars, ship owner Sulpicio Lines Inc. on Thursday assured lawmakers Thursday it will foot the bill in salvaging the ill-fated vessel.

Radio dzBB's Rowena Salvacion reported that Sulpicio first vice president Edgar Go said this is meant to show the firm's "social responsibility," even as he said the company's decision to shoulder the costs of salvaging the vessel is not an admission of guilt.

Sulpicio Lines had earlier been criticized for imposing a long list of requirements before victims' relatives are granted compensation benefits.

"We will first remove bunker fuel and toxic cargoes simultaneously. Once removed, expert divers can resume recovery of remains of fatalities still inside the ship. The final step is to remove the
wreck from shore of Sibuyan," Go said during a congressional hearing on the tragedy.

Go noted that the cost of salvaging the capsized vessel is expected to exceed P300 million.

The MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon last June 21, after encountering big waves and strong winds at the height of typhoon "Frank."

Hundreds of passengers were killed during the incident. Only more than 50 passengers and crewmembers out of the ship's 866 passengers and crew were able to survive the sea tragedy.

Hundreds remain missing and are believed to be trapped inside the ferry.

Charges loom vs Sulpicio for withholding info on pesticide cargo

MANILA, Philippines - Charges loom against the owner of the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars for its failure to inform authorities that the ship was carrying a shipment of a powerful insecticide when it capsized over the weekend.

Deputy Presidential and National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) spokesman Anthony Golez Jr also hinted at sanctions on agencies that failed to detect the chemicals aboard the ship.

"Kakasuhan namin ang management ng Sulpicio because they withheld that information (We will charge Sulpicio management because they withheld that information)," Golez said in an interview on dzBB radio.

However, he did not specify what charges the government plans to file against Sulpicio Lines.

Golez also said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is still on a 10-day visit to the United States, ordered the NDCC to make sure the contamination will not be spread.

He said President Arroyo also ordered the 40-foot container van containing the endosulfan be retrieved and isolated immediately.

Transportation Undersecretary Elena Bautista, head of a task force looking into the incident, said they learned of the pesticide only Thursday afternoon.

Bautista told a radio interview that Del Monte wrote the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) about the matter June 24, and the FPA wrote the DOTC only Thursday.

"We recommended to the President to convene the NDCC because of the urgency of the matter," she said.

She also said an initial check with the Coast Guard showed Sulpicio never sought any special permit to carry dangerous cargo.

In a separate interview, Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said they will check if Sulpicio applied for a special permit.

Tamayo said he has ordered the divers in the field to stop search operations.

"Dapat may special permit to carry dangerous cargo, dapat ang shipowner mag-apply for special permit (The ship owner should have applied for a special permit to carry dangerous cargo)," Tamayo said on dzBB.

He said the Board of Marine Inquiry looking into the mishap may ask Sulpicio's representatives some questions on the matter.

When asked whether the Coast Guard will have its divers withdraw from the site, he said they will take it up with Transportation Undersecretary Elena Bautista.

Bautista was due at the site within the day.

"Magkakaroon ng pagpulong para ano ang susunod na hakbang (We'll discuss possible actions to take during the meeting)," Tamayo said.

On the other hand, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported from Romblon that some of the Coast Guard divers had experienced skin irritation as of Thursday.

Probe body, Sulpicio execs in closed-door meet - report

On the second day of its probe, the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) on Friday morning went into a "closed-door meeting" with officials of the shipping line that owns the ill-fated passenger vessel that capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon.

A radio report said that, unlike in its first hearing last Wednesday, the BMI barred members of the media from conducting live coverage of the proceedings.

The report said Sulpicio Lines first vice president Edgar Go and lawyer Arthur Lim were inside the closed-door meeting.

In its first day of hearing, the BMI found out among others that the shipping company has been using an outdated version of the guidelines in sending off its ships during bad weather.

The investigating body also found out that the crewmen of the capsized ship and Sulpicio officials on land were forced to communicate via mobile phone after typhoon "Frank" shut down Sulpicio's radio communication.

Grilled on Wednesday, Go said the ship's still-missing captain, Florencio Marimon Sr, had last communicated to them about 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Marimon reportedly said that they were already experiencing difficulty in maneuvering the vessel as it was already beginning to tilt.

Marimon, however, reportedly assured that the ship's engine was running fine at the time. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV

Biazon: US carrier not for rescue, recovery operations

MANILA, Philippines—Sen. Rodolfo Biazon Wednesday questioned the US government’s deployment of an aircraft carrier to help in the search for survivors of the capsized MV Princess of the Stars and the retrieval of bodies trapped in the vessel.

“An aircraft carrier is not designed for salvage. The USS Ronald Reagan is a strategic and combat vessel whose main assets are aircraft, F-18s. What will the F-18s do for the recovery [efforts]?” Biazon, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces, said in a press conference.

He said the US government should have sent smaller ships with a crane instead.

Biazon also said that while the deployment of the aircraft carrier showed the US government’s readiness to lend a helping hand, “I don’t think it can do anything to really assist the Philippine government in having to do what has to be done.”

The Ronald Reagan strike group consists of the carrier, a cruiser, three destroyers and a frigate. The group left about 100 American sailors behind in Hong Kong when it had to depart port on Sunday, a day early, because of safety concerns related to Typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen).

The aircraft carrier has about 6,000 sailors aboard.

“The carrier group will support immediate rescue, recovery and disaster relief efforts being carried out by Philippine authorities in the aftermath of Typhoon Frank,” the US Embassy said in a statement.

Happy to do it

US President George W. Bush announced the deployment of the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan after a meeting on Tuesday with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the White House.

“We’re happy to do it,” Bush said. “We want to help our friends in a time of need.”

Nuclear-powered

“[Its] arrival in the … Philippines exemplifies the longstanding ties between the United States and the Philippines and the US commitment to assisting the Philippines, in keeping with our mutual commitments under the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty,” the embassy said.

But Biazon also questioned whether the USS Ronald Reagan should be allowed to enter Philippine seas if it had nuclear weapons on board.

The Philippine Constitution bars the entry of nuclear weapons into the country, he pointed out.

Anthony Golez, Ms Arroyo’s deputy spokesperson, said the deployment of the aircraft carrier would not violate the Constitution, which states that “the Philippines, consistent with the national interest, adopts and pursues a policy of freedom from nuclear weapons in its territory.”

“Ever mindful of the prohibition, the President made it to a point that the carrier group will not be bringing nuclear weapons in consonance with the policy of freedom from nuclear weapons,” Golez said in Malacañang.

He said the USS Ronald Reagan was “only nuclear-powered.”

“We would like to stress the humanitarian focus of this aid accepted by the President, which is of primary national interest given the current situation,” Golez said.

The senator has earlier called for a Senate investigation of the sinking of the MV Princess of the Stars on Saturday off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province.

He has directed the Philippine Navy’s flag officer in command to check if the ship’s heavy cargo was latched and whether its log book was preserved, and to recover its captain, first officer and chief mate.

Largest, newest

The US Embassy described the USS Ronald Reagan as “the largest and newest of the Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.”

“Its on-board aircraft are able to assist with transportation of cargo, aerial damage assessment, and support search-and-rescue operations,” the embassy said, adding:

“Under the direction of Philippine disaster relief authorities, USS Ronald Reagan personnel may provide assistance including aircraft support, production and delivery of potable water, medical assistance activities, and machinery repair.”

The USS Ronald Reagan’s carrier group includes the cruiser USS Chancellorsville, the destroyers USS Decatur, USS Gridley, and USS Howard, the frigate USS Thach, and other supporting vessels, the embassy said.

“The USNS Stockham and US Navy P-3 maritime surveillance aircraft continue to provide support, and US Navy divers are assisting Philippine personnel with rescue and recovery efforts on the capsized MV Princess of the Stars,” it said.

Had she stayed home …

Palawan Rep. Antonio Alvarez, chair of the House committee on trade, said the deployment of the USS Ronald Reagan would not have been possible without Ms Arroyo’s presence in Washington.

Had she stayed home, “the biggest aircraft carrier built would not have been ordered to go to Romblon,” Alvarez said.

“But because she was able to personally appeal for help to President Bush, a ship whose air assets are more than (those in) the ASEAN nations combined will now be helping in relief and rescue work,” he said.

Alvarez said the US government was sending over a carrier group bigger than what it had sent to Burma (Myanmar) and China, “whose cyclone and earthquake fatalities, respectively, dwarf the loss of lives caused by Typhoon Frank.”

Between Arroyo hug & GI Joes

“On this score alone, not mentioning the other aid and investment packages [Ms Arroyo] will be bringing home, the US trip is now worth it,” he said.

The lawmaker also said it was “perhaps providential” that Ms Arroyo was in the United States when the typhoon hit.

He said Ms Arroyo’s personal request for help “elicited a response more magnanimous than one solicited long distance.”

“What would we have preferred? A presidential shoulder to cry on, or a thousand helping hands from a US carrier group who can help victims?” Alvarez said.

Pesticide found inside ferry; search stopped

MANILA, Philippines -- Ten metric tons of pesticide were found inside the capsized M/V Princess of the Stars, prompting authorities to halt rescue and retrieval operations, officials said.

"Delikado, inabort namin ang retrieval, wala munang divers dahil sa problema ng pesticide [It’s dangerous, we aborted the retrieval, we stopped the divers because of the problem with pesticide]," Vice President Noli De Castro told a news conference at the Department of National Defense Friday.

De Castro said the pesticide cargo belonged to Del Monte Philippines.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said there were "no observable signs of contamination" from the pesticide, such as fish kill. He said 10 metric tons of the pesticide was in the ship.

But Dr. Lyn Panganiban of the University of the Philippines Toxicology Department, when asked what could happen if all of the 10 metric tons of pesticide would spill into sea, said, “It can be a catastrophe. It is a highly hazardous and toxic chemical.”

Muro-ami divers tried to loot MV Princess of the Stars: report

A group of reef-hunters, locally known in the Philippines as muro-ami divers, reportedly tried to enter and loot the Sulpicio Lines’ sunken ship, M/V Princess of the Stars.

The muro-ami divers, using improvised air compressors, were able to get near the sunken ship despite the presence of the Philippine Marines and Philippine Coast Guard rescue vessels.

Radio dzMM’s Dennis Datu reported that members of the media covering the retrieval operations off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province spotted at least 11 looters.

A photographer of the Philippine Daily Inquirer was able to take pictures of some of the looters, the report said.

Chief Superintendent Luisita Palmera, CALABARZON police director, said the police will try to identify the looters through the pictures.

Palmera said charges of illegal possession of compressor and obstruction of justice may be filed against the looters.

The police official said a control point has been placed right in front of the sunken ship to prevent looting.

"We would like to assure the relatives of the victims that we will not allow anybody to violate the sanctity of the dead," he said.

Rescue divers have spotted dozens of bloated bodies floating inside the sunken ship.

A number of bodies have been recovered from the ship, but officials decided to halt the retrieval operations after divers complained of the foul odor coming from the cadavers.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier said a total of 77 bodies of the ferry vessel’s passengers have been retrieved.

Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, PCG commandant, said 67 of the bodies are loaded on the government’s rescue ships while the other 10 are with the Sulpicio Lines.

Tamayo said only 48 of the passengers have been rescued alive.

Divers struggle with bodies in Philippine ferry

SAN FERNANDO, Philippines (AP) — Divers having difficulty removing bodies from a capsized ferry were forced to use heavy weights to help pull the dead out of the upside-down vessel, Philippine officials said Thursday.

The bodies had floated to the top of the submerged cabins and compartments on the seven-story ferry, Coast Guard Commodore Luis Tuason said. Divers were struggling to pull the bloated bodies through narrow, debris-filled corridors to exit the vessel.

It remains unclear how many of the 850-plus passengers and crew were trapped when the 23,824-ton Princess of the Stars suddenly listed and went belly up in a half-hour or less during a powerful typhoon Saturday, leaving just the tip of the bow jutting from the water.

Only 56 survivors have been found, while 124 bodies have been recovered after washing ashore or spotted floating in the sea, some in life jackets, Coast Guard Commander Danilo Avila said.

The ferry disaster could raise Typhoon Fengshen's death toll to more than 1,500, with 394 people confirmed dead from flooding and landslides and more than 330 missing.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said Thursday $7.9 million is needed to provide around 400,000 storm victims with clean water, emergency shelters and other relief items over the next 3 months.

The Red Cross said 435 people are still missing, and more than 106,000 homes are destroyed or badly damaged.

The aftermath of the storm kept rescue workers away until calm conditions Tuesday allowed divers to slither inside the ferry for the first time.

More than 100 divers, including eight U.S. military frogmen, were at the site, some working through the night Wednesday in the hope that some passengers could have found an air pocket and survived.

Tuason said Coast Guard rescuers were instructed Thursday to take photos of the decomposing bodies to help in the identification process. He initially indicated the bodies were being photographed inside the ferry, but later said the process was to be conducted after the bodies were laboriously secured.

The Coast Guard later rescinded the order on instructions from higher-level officials, apparently due to sensitivities over the issue.

Relatives have questioned why the ship was allowed to leave Manila late Friday for a 20-hour trip to Cebu with a typhoon approaching. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered a thorough probe and said she hoped to find ways to avoid similar accidents in the future.

Sulpicio Lines said the ferry sailed with Coast Guard approval. Debate also began anew on safe-sailing rules in a country prone to storms — Fengshen was the seventh typhoon this year — and dependent on ferries to get around the sprawling archipelago.

Tribute of MV Princess Stars Disaster of Typhoon / Pagsubo - generalpop

What happened to the Princess of Stars - autumn07168

Govt begins inquiry into ferry disaster

SAN FERNANDO, Philippines: Philippine investigators began an inquiry yesterday into a ferry disaster feared to have killed nearly 800 people as rescuers said there was little hope of finding survivors.

More than 100 US and Filipino divers combed the wreckage of the 24,000-tonne Princess of the Stars, whose upturned bow jutted above waters off the central island of Sibuyan after it capsized in a typhoon on Saturday.

“There are no signs of life,” said navy spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Edgard Arevalo, adding that at least 60 bodies were retrieved at or around Burias island yesterday.

The latest recovery of bodies brings the number of bodies found from the ship to at least 127, according to a count by the navy, meaning some 660 of the more than 850 people on board remain unaccounted for.

Rescuers said those who had survived in air pockets in the ship would have suffocated by now.

Only 57 people made it out alive, according to civil defence figures, making it one of the worst maritime disasters in the Southeast Asian country’s history.

At the first hearing of the board of inquiry, Edgar Go, vice-president of ferry operator Sulpicio Lines, said the coast guard had cleared the ship to sail.

Sulpicio Lines lawyer Arthur Lim also cited rules issued in 1998 saying that the coast guard had the responsibility of plotting storm routes and issuing these to shipping companies for guidance.

However, the head of the inquiry board, Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag, said new guidelines were issued in 2007, repealing the 1998 guidelines cited by Sulpicio officials.

The new guidelines say “the ship captain is given the responsibility to (decide) whether to leave port or not,” Liwag said.

Sulpicio officials said they had not received the 2007 guidelines. The next hearing was set for tomorrow.
The board of marine inquiry is a fact-finding investigation and information gathered at the hearings could be used for criminal prosecution, officials said.

The coast guard also temporarily removed the district commander of Manila, Commander Erwin Balagas, who had authority over the ferry when it sailed from the capital.

Coast guard officials said this was standard procedure and did not mean that Balagas was being blamed for the tragedy.
President Gloria Arroyo, in a statement from Washington where she is on an official visit, said: “We are holding the ferry company accountable.”

She said the inquiry will try to determine how the tragedy occurred “so we can take steps to make sure it never happens again.”

Lieutenant Commander Rogelio Villanueva told disaster relief officials in Manila that the divers were hoping to go deeper into the ship’s submerged dining hall and other compartments, where they had seen many bloated bodies.
Navy ships and helicopter scoured coastal areas as the recovery effort was stepped up.

“We are racing against time to save lives and retrieve bodies as soon as possible before they reach an advanced state of decomposition,” Villanueva said.

US divers joined the grim search for the bloated bodies of men, women and children who were on the 22-hour trip from Manila to central Cebu when Typhoon Fengshen struck.

With poor visibility and strong undercurrents hampering the operation, officials appealed for more equipment from abroad as well as relief goods for survivors of the typhoon, which left another 600 dead or missing in the country.
Arroyo secured a pledge from US counterpart George W Bush to send an aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, and other naval assets to help.

“I expressed to President Arroyo our deep condolences to those who suffered as a result of the typhoon. We, the American people, care about the human suffering that’s taking place, and we want to help our friends in a time of need,” the US embassy quoted Bush as telling Arroyo.

The Japanese government said it would also send relief supplies to victims.

Meanwhile, relatives streamed into the offices of Sulpicio Lines demanding to know the fate of their loved ones.
Many were inconsolable, but there have also been tearful reunions for the lucky few who survived.

Sulpicio probed on 2 angles

The first hearing into why the Princess of the Stars capsized off Romblon shed light Wednesday on two possible liabilities of ship owner Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI): overloading of cargo, or failure to heed the revised Coast Guard guidelines on clearing boats for sailing during rough weather.

Since Saturday, when the boat capsized with 800 people and a huge cargo—including oil—onboard, SLI officials had pointed to the guidelines and insisted that when the ship sailed from Manila’s North Harbor Friday night, the weather bureau had only raised Storm Signal No. 1, which they said the vessel could weather.

The revised guidelines, however, mandated ship owners to look at storm alerts not just in the area of origin, but also the route and the destination. Even though Manila was only under Signal 1 as of Friday afternoon, Romblon was already under Signal 2, and Masbate, Signal 3—all part of the ship’s route to final destination Cebu.

The Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI), the body created to investigate the capsizing, will start to look, as well, into the overloading angle as the main cause of the country’s worst sea tragedy this year.

Investigating officials at the first hearing Wednesday asked Sulpicio Lines to submit its cargo-stowage plan and cargo manifest, two of the most important documents the company still has to show to the public days after the tragedy.

The next hearing is set Friday. In Wednesday’s hearing the board had already found some lapses on the part of Sulpicio that may have contributed to the tragedy, where just a few dozens of the 800 people on board have so far survived.

According to BMI chairman Rear Adm. Ramon Liwag, the weather forecast from Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  came at 4: 45 p.m. on June 20; this said that Typhoon Signal No. 1 was already hoisted in Metro Manila, Signal No. 2 in Romblon and Signal No. 3 in Masbate, or the route going to Cebu.

These forecasts, Liwag said, were material in the decision-making of both the ship captain and the company on whether or not to sail.

Sulpicio Lines’ MV Princess of the Stars is the country’s biggest roll-on/roll-off vessel, and as such the liner is claiming that it can weather bigger waves brought about by the storm.

MV Princess of the Stars capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province on Saturday. It had a total of 862 people onboard: 724 manifested passengers, 111 crew members and 27 contractors.

The vessel was built in Japan in 1984 with 23,824 gross registered tonnage with a passenger capacity of 1,992 and cargo capacity of  200  20-foot metal containers.

The board also grilled Sulpicio officials on the communications equipment used by the vessel because port authorities received no distress signal when the ship was already sinking.

Edgar Go, the company’s first vice president and the first Sulpicio official to appear before the witness stand, replied that because of the bad weather, the distress signal got lost.

Investigating officials, however, disagreed and argued that distress signals may be received anywhere in the world once pressed. 

International laws mandate equipping oceangoing vessels with a system called a vessel-tracking monitoring system, which could be handy in times of bad weather or pirate attacks.

Local authorities are not yet requiring domestic vessels to have such a system.

The board also pointed out that Sulpicio was wrong to surmise that the Philippine Coast Guard is still using an outdated policy when it let the vessel leave port of Manila on June 20.

Arthur Lim, lawyer for Sulpicio Lines, presented Memorandum Circular 03-98-A dated October 15, 1998, which states that: “The Coast Guard District Commanders are the ones mandated to plot the prevailing weather condition and weather forecast for the next 72 hours and disseminate to all subordinate units and local shipping agencies the latest weather update.

“This is not to say that ship owners do not have the same responsibility of also monitoring and keeping track of weather reports. But I would just like to highlight that, your honor, to avoid any misimpression that the entire burden of keeping track of a weather disturbance rests only on the shoulders of ship owners,” he said.

Commodore Ramon Reblora, member of the board, told Lim that a revised circular was released on June 27, 2007.

The guidelines state: “Movements of any craft/vessel is left to the decision and responsibility of its master/ship owner if PSWS [Public Storm Warning Signal] No. 1 is hoisted within the vessel’s point of origin, the route and destination.

“No vessel of 2,000 gross tons or below shall sail except to take shelter if PSWS No. 2 is hoisted within its point of origin, the route and point of destination.

“No vessel shall sail except to take shelter if PSWS No. 3/ PSWS number  No. 4 is hoisted within its point of origin, the route and point of destination,” the guidelines further states.

Sulpicio to bring to Manila bodies found in Bicol

LEGAZPI CITY -- Anticipating the recovery of more bodies in Bicol Thursday with the discovery of at least 115 at mid-sea between Burias Island and Camarines provinces Wednesday night, the Task Force Princess of the Stars will set up a holding area for the recovered bodies in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, an official said.

The Task Force Princess of the Stars will also put up a command post
near the holding area to coordinate the transport of the recovered bodies to Manila, said Raffy Alejandro, Office of Civil Defense director in Bicol.

Alejandro said the Sulpicio Lines, Inc., which owns the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars, will dispatch a ship to dock at the Pasacao Port to pick up the bodies and carry them to Manila for identification by their families.

He said Transportation undersecretary Elena Bautista, head of the task
force, instructed local government units not to bury the bodies recovered.

Bautista, in a television interview around 10 p.m. Wednesday, confirmed that 115 bodies were sighted off the shores of Burias Island in Masbate and Camarines Sur.

"We instructed local government officials to report bodies being retrieved to the nearest police station or tap local funeral services available," Alejandro said in a mobile phone interview.

He said the bodies would be gathered in Pasacao town and will be brought to Manila by batches.

Even those temporarily buried on Burias Island might be brought to Pasacao town as well, he added.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said only 48 survivors had been found so far, out of the ferry's 862 passengers and crew on board. As of posting time, 70 fatalities have been recorded and 744 remain unaccounted for.

The Philippine Coast Guard in Bicol reported Wednesday to have
recovered 57 bodies, but only three of which were identified as passengers of the sunken ferry. The rest were from 12 fishing boats and one cargo vessel.

It also reported that 79 survivors were rescued.

Jeffrey Collado, Bicol Coast Guard operations assistant, said fishing boats South Sea, Nicol Louise 2, Fatima, Ludith, Sea Quest, Hagibis 2, Paday, Jisille, Mercury, Eugene, Laura Roldan, and Sweet Angel 1 and cargo vessel M/V Paway all capsized at the height of typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fengshen).

He said 188 persons were still missing from the vessel and boats.

DOH allays fears of fish poisoning

MANILA, Philippines – Health officials Thursday sought to allay fears that seafood and fish caught in waters near the capsized MV Princess of the Stars were contaminated as a result of bodies that have not been retrieved in the sunken vessel.

The advisory couldn’t have come at a better time as Masbate provincial officials were battling rumors that marine products from the province were contaminated, causing a sharp decline in fish sale in the province.

Masbate Gov. Elisa Kho appealed to the public to calm down as she corrected rumors that fish caught in Masbate posed health risks to consumers.

“As long as they cook the fish very well, it is safe for consumption,” said Kho, a doctor by profession.

She said the fish scare had caused losses to fishermen in the province.

Dr. Eric Tayag, of the National Epidemiology Center, said most fish species are not carnivores and, therefore, would not eat human flesh.

“Fish don’t eat humans,” he said. Most fish, he said, eat small plants. The bigger fish, on the other hand, prey on smaller fish or other marine animals, he added.

Authorities believed that around 800 passengers were trapped to death inside the ship when it was swallowed by Typhoon “Frank.”

Since the sinking, residents of Romblon and nearby provinces have refused to eat fish caught in the surrounding waters for fear that they have been contaminated by the decomposing bodies.

Dr. Baby Banatin, chief of the Department of Health Emergency Management Service, acknowledged that there is a “psychological” aversion to fish caught near the ferry.

However, she said the public should not be afraid to eat fish and seafood from the Sibuyan Sea, where the ferry sank last Saturday, saying the corpses do not pose a health risk.

“Normally, dead bodies do not pose a threat. The bodies died because of trauma, not diseases,” she said.

The Department of Health officials also said the bodies do not pose a risk to handlers and divers, who use protective gears in scouring the vessel.

Tayag and Banatin said bacteria and viruses die with the person.

“The greatest fear is psychological. Are they prepared to fish out the bodies? Are they prepared to see the bloated bodies?” she said.

Tayag said DOH has raised alerts in Iloilo, Antique, and Capiz provinces against water borne diseases.

Residents in these provinces were urged to boil their water before drinking it.

In Daraga, Albay, vendors and buyers just shrugged off the fish scare.

“If there’s a fish scare, prices would drop. But prices even increased because it’s the full moon and fish catch is down,” Fe Rifo, 30, said.
“We have yet to be poisoned by fish,” she said.

She said she was aware that bodies were surfacing in waters of Masbate.