Probe starts today

CEBU, Philippines - The Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) will start today its investigation into the August 16 collision of MV St. Thomas Aquinas and MV Sulpicio Express 7 along Lawis Ledge.

Philippine Coast Guard Commodore William Melad said the BMI investigating panel is headed by PCG Commodore Gilbert Rueras.

 Other members of the panel include a master mariner, a licensed chief engineer and a lawyer.

BMI is tasked to investigate sea accidents and has jurisdiction over complaints filed against marine officers.

Melad said the timeframe of the inquiry will be known today.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 is imposing P6.5 million on those liable for the oil spill following the collision.

DENR confirmed that at least 328 hectares of mangroves in Cordova town and Lapu-Lapu City were affected by the oil spill.

Available for probe

The PCG assured that the captains of the two ships will be available for the investigation even if they are not in its custody.

In a press briefing yesterday, Melad said that the two shipping companies assured them that the captains will be made available for the investigation otherwise these firms will be held liable.

But Melad said that both 2GO Group and Philippine Span Asia Corp. told them that the captains will be their responsibility.

Melad explained that after the accident last Friday, they immediately took the captain of MV Saint Thomas Aquinas in their custody.

But he said they have agreed to transfer the custody to the shipping companies since they are not sure yet who was at fault.

Melad assured that whoever is found liable will face the charges.

Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo, a member of the Incident Command Team, said that the PCG could not be blamed why the ship captains are not detained.

“You cannot also fault the Coast Guard. It is (in) our maritime laws,” said Carillo.

Carillo, a lawyer, stressed that unlike a road incident in which a driver who committed infraction can be detained until such time a formal case is filed.

“Unfortunately, iba to. This is maritime,” Carillo said, explaining that a marine inquiry has to be constituted to determine who will face the consequences.

As the BMI is set to start their investigation today, investigators are reportedly in Cebu to gather data related to the incident.

The proceedings will be made in Manila.

Melad said he initially believed that they would lead the proceedings but “due to the severity of the accident, it has been decided (that the case) to be elevated to the national level.”

However, Carillo said they will push for the investigation to be conducted in Cebu.

He said the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in Cebu informed him that it is willing to volunteer to take affidavits of witnesses to help the BMI.

More bodies

Meanwhile, Governor Hilario Davide III said three more bodies had been retrieved yesterday, bringing the number of casualties to 74.

At least 46 people are still missing.

“We hope that these unaccounted passengers are still out there, alive. There are still bodies inside the sunken vessels,” Davide said.

Davide added that official updates on the accident will be coming from the Immediate Command team which he heads. 

Out of the 74 bodies retrieved, 45 have been identified while 29 are still being processed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).

About 18 bodies have already been released as of yesterday.

Melad said they cannot set a timetable for the retrieval operations.

“We will continue to do this as long as we believe that there are passengers still trapped inside,” he said.  (FREEMAN)