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.