Marina cracks down on small-time boat operators

After two sea mishaps that resulted in the death of about 100 people, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) began yesterday a crackdown on small-time passenger ferries for violations of transportation safety rules.

Marina Administrator Oscar Sevilla said the crackdown was in compliance with an order from Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez to conduct massive surprise inspections of passenger ferries.

"The bigger ones will not be inspected anymore because they usually follow our circulars. But those operating out of small ports in the country will have to be inspected because they are the perennial violators," Sevilla told The STAR.

He said the usual violators of transportation safety rules are those that operate out of small ports in Batangas, Masbate and Mindoro.

Sevilla said they would pay particular attention to firefighting and emergency equipment on board these small vessels as well as their physical condition.

"We will drydock them, if necessary, to check their hulls," he said.

Sevilla said they are also studying the possibility of banning automatic doors on ships because passengers have complained that such doors cannot be opened during power outages.

According to official data, there are about 22,000 registered sea craft in the country and 5,000 of them are passenger vessels.

At the same time, Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Reuben Lista ordered all Coast Guard detachments in the country to "resist pressure from local officials" in the performance of their duties.

The PCG chief issued the order after investigations on the May 11 sinking of the 13-ton inter-island ferry M/B Nilode off Naval, Biliran showed that PCG inspectors allowed the evidently overloaded ferry to sail because of the insistence of a town mayor.

During the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) meeting on Sunday morning, the ferry operator, Afredo Malana, whose wife Josephine also died in the mishap, said he would not have allowed the boat to be overloaded had it not been for the insistence of Maripipi Mayor Uldarico Macorol.

Sources in Naval said many of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were Maripipi barangay officials who attended the celebrations marking Biliran’s 10th anniversary as a province.

The barangay officials were supposedly rushing back for the fiestas that were also being celebrated in their island town. Macorol supposedly "asked but not forced" Malana to accommodate their constituents.

The 13-ton M/B Nilode, licensed to carry only 30 people, was carrying at least 90 passengers when it capsized off the municipal port of Naval, Biliran around 4:30 p.m. of Saturday.

It was the second sea mishap in a month after the larger ferry M/V Maria Carmela caught fire off Lucena City on April 11, leaving at least 72 people dead and missing.

Charges of multiple homicide were filed before the Leyte regional trial court yesterday against four PCG personnel for allowing the ferry to leave the port of Naval for Maripipi island.

Aside from the criminal charges, administrative charges of dereliction of duty and negligence would also be filed against Chief Petty Officer Romulo Mesias and Petty Officers 2nd Class Jose Alamo, Jerry Geranco and Teresito Toyosa.

A special board of marine inquiry (SBMI) was also created yesterday to look further into the ferry’s sinking.

The SBMI will be composed of PCG Commander Eduardo Legaspi as chairman, Jose Cabatingan of Marina, PCG Commodore Carmelo Simolde, lawyer Pepito Suello, master mariner Capt. Mario Minoria and chief engineer Romulo Pepito as members.

In a related development, President Arroyo gave P10,000 each to families of the 19 killed in the ferry disaster.

The President handed out the cash in a brief stop in Naval town yesterday. She also gave P5,000 to survivors of the accident.

Meanwhile, the SBMI investigating the fire that engulfed the 680-ton M/V Maria Carmela has recommended administrative sanctions against the captain and five officers and crew of the ferry.

Criminal and civil charges were also recommended to be filed against the ship’s owner and captain, if warranted, the SBMI said in a statement.

The seven-man SBMI, headed by Rear Admiral Domingo Estera, PCG deputy commandant for operations, submitted its findings and recommendations to DOTC Secretary Alvarez.

In their 58-page report, the SBMI recommended that the Marina initiate criminal, administrative and civil charges against the ship’s owner Montenegro Shipping Lines and the ship’s captain Godofredo Erandio.

Recommended for revocation of their licenses and suspension for one year were Erandio, Major Patron Pablito Masangkay, chief mate; Blas Sevilla, acting chief engineer; fourth engineer Ricardo Moreno, electrician Mario Isla and boatswain Jose Mario Reyes. –With reports from Nestor Etolle, Sheila Crisostomo, Ricky Bautista By Jose Aravilla After two sea mishaps that resulted in the death of about 100 people, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) began yesterday a crackdown on small-time passenger ferries for violations of transportation safety rules.

Marina Administrator Oscar Sevilla said the crackdown was in compliance with an order from Transportation and Communications Secretary Pantaleon Alvarez to conduct massive surprise inspections of passenger ferries.

"The bigger ones will not be inspected anymore because they usually follow our circulars. But those operating out of small ports in the country will have to be inspected because they are the perennial violators," Sevilla told The STAR.

He said the usual violators of transportation safety rules are those that operate out of small ports in Batangas, Masbate and Mindoro.

Sevilla said they would pay particular attention to firefighting and emergency equipment on board these small vessels as well as their physical condition.

"We will drydock them, if necessary, to check their hulls," he said.

Sevilla said they are also studying the possibility of banning automatic doors on ships because passengers have complained that such doors cannot be opened during power outages.

According to official data, there are about 22,000 registered sea craft in the country and 5,000 of them are passenger vessels.

At the same time, Philippine Coast Guard commandant Vice Admiral Reuben Lista ordered all Coast Guard detachments in the country to "resist pressure from local officials" in the performance of their duties.

The PCG chief issued the order after investigations on the May 11 sinking of the 13-ton inter-island ferry M/B Nilode off Naval, Biliran showed that PCG inspectors allowed the evidently overloaded ferry to sail because of the insistence of a town mayor.

During the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) meeting on Sunday morning, the ferry operator, Afredo Malana, whose wife Josephine also died in the mishap, said he would not have allowed the boat to be overloaded had it not been for the insistence of Maripipi Mayor Uldarico Macorol.

Sources in Naval said many of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were Maripipi barangay officials who attended the celebrations marking Biliran’s 10th anniversary as a province.

The barangay officials were supposedly rushing back for the fiestas that were also being celebrated in their island town. Macorol supposedly "asked but not forced" Malana to accommodate their constituents.

The 13-ton M/B Nilode, licensed to carry only 30 people, was carrying at least 90 passengers when it capsized off the municipal port of Naval, Biliran around 4:30 p.m. of Saturday.

It was the second sea mishap in a month after the larger ferry M/V Maria Carmela caught fire off Lucena City on April 11, leaving at least 72 people dead and missing.

Charges of multiple homicide were filed before the Leyte regional trial court yesterday against four PCG personnel for allowing the ferry to leave the port of Naval for Maripipi island.

Aside from the criminal charges, administrative charges of dereliction of duty and negligence would also be filed against Chief Petty Officer Romulo Mesias and Petty Officers 2nd Class Jose Alamo, Jerry Geranco and Teresito Toyosa.

A special board of marine inquiry (SBMI) was also created yesterday to look further into the ferry’s sinking.

The SBMI will be composed of PCG Commander Eduardo Legaspi as chairman, Jose Cabatingan of Marina, PCG Commodore Carmelo Simolde, lawyer Pepito Suello, master mariner Capt. Mario Minoria and chief engineer Romulo Pepito as members.

In a related development, President Arroyo gave P10,000 each to families of the 19 killed in the ferry disaster.

The President handed out the cash in a brief stop in Naval town yesterday. She also gave P5,000 to survivors of the accident.

Meanwhile, the SBMI investigating the fire that engulfed the 680-ton M/V Maria Carmela has recommended administrative sanctions against the captain and five officers and crew of the ferry.

Criminal and civil charges were also recommended to be filed against the ship’s owner and captain, if warranted, the SBMI said in a statement.

The seven-man SBMI, headed by Rear Admiral Domingo Estera, PCG deputy commandant for operations, submitted its findings and recommendations to DOTC Secretary Alvarez.

In their 58-page report, the SBMI recommended that the Marina initiate criminal, administrative and civil charges against the ship’s owner Montenegro Shipping Lines and the ship’s captain Godofredo Erandio.

Recommended for revocation of their licenses and suspension for one year were Erandio, Major Patron Pablito Masangkay, chief mate; Blas Sevilla, acting chief engineer; fourth engineer Ricardo Moreno, electrician Mario Isla and boatswain Jose Mario Reyes. –With reports from Nestor Etolle, Sheila Crisostomo, Ricky Bautista