RTC refers 50 Sulpicio cases to mediation

CEBU, Philippines - The Regional Trial Court has referred for mediation six of the 50 civil cases that the Public Attorney’s Office filed against Sulpicio Lines, Incorporated in relation to the June 21, 2008 sinking of the M/V Princess of the Stars.

PAO regional attorney Maria G-Ree Calinawan said RTC Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras referred for mediation the cases filed by the families of Basnillo, Chavez, Escaran, Himaya, Furia and Labang. Calinawan said mediation is a mandatory procedure for civil cases to provide both parties a venue for “cooling off” or possible amicable settlement before going into full-blown trial.

According to Calinawan, the mediation was first scheduled last week but was postponed to August 28 because the other complainants were not around.

Calinawan said that although they are assisting the complainants, it would still be the complainants that would decide whether or not they will undergo mediation.

During the scheduled mediation last week, Sulpicio lawyer Arthur Lim reportedly asked the complainants present the lowest amount they would settle the case with. However, the complainants reportedly did not want a settlement.

Calinawan admitted that the outcome of the negotiation would be very crucial to the rest of the cases because it might create precedence. If the complainants would agree to receive only 50 percent of their total claim, there would be a possibility that Sulpicio will not go beyond in the cases that will be submitted for mediation.It is not also clear where to get the 20-percent attorney’s fee that the PAO is demanding from Sulpicio in case the complainants would go for an out of court settlement.

PAO assisted most of the complainants in filing the cases against SLI.

The M/V Princess of the Stars, the biggest ship of SLI, sank last year at the height of the typhoon Frank while cruising from Manila to Cebu. There are already about 50 civil cases that PAO has filed before the RTC in Cebu City. — Fred P. Languido/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)