MANILA, Philippines— Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday paid her last respects to the victims of boat accidents in the Iloilo Strait last August 3.
Robredo arrived in Iloilo on Monday and personally went to the wakes of nine of the 31 people who died in the boat accidents.
Last Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte also went to the wake of some of the victims to extend his condolences to bereaved families and loved ones.
READ: Duterte visits wake of Iloilo sea mishap victims
He was accompanied by Sen. Christopher Go, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Martin Diño and Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista.
They were not able to meet the families of the victims due to the inclement weather brought by Typhoon Hanna (Lekima).
Squalls tipped over three wooden-hulled outrigger boats in the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait on August 3 as the rest of the country was battered by southwest monsoon enhanced rains.The Iloilo Strait is the water that separates Iloilo and Guimaras.
An inter-agency body composed of personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard and Marine Industry Authority has been created to probe the boat sinking incidents
Capt. Armand Balilo, spokesman for the PCG, said the panel would revisit the maritime safety protocols in the area and recommend changes to prevent such accidents from happening again. —Rosette Adel
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