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. — Fred P. Languido and Jasmin R. Uy/LPM (THE FREEMAN)