P2 M to be spent to repack, return endosulfan to Israel

Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Ma. Elena Bautista yesterday said the government, Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) and its shipper would be spending close to P2 million in repackaging and returning to Israel the 400 packs of endosulfan retrieved from the sunken MV Princess of the Stars.

Bautista said it was agreed that while waiting for the Manila City regional trial court to decide on the case filed by SLI against Del Monte Philippines Inc. (DMPI) , the consignee of the toxic pesticide, the government, SLI, the owner of the sunken vessel, and the shipper, Makhteshim Chemical Works Ltd., would initially shoulder the expenses in transporting the cargo back to Israel.

“We estimate that we would be spending P1 million to transfer the 400 packs of endosulfan from Romblon province to Manila and reconstruct the fiber boards to meet the international standards,” she said.

“Then we would be spending a few thousand dollars, probably equivalent to less than a P1 million, to bring it back to Israel. It is cheaper to bring it back to Israel,” she added.

However, Bautista clarified that the government would be able to regain the money it would spend for the transportation.

But she said they would just have to wait for Manila RTC Branch 24 Judge Antonio Eugenio to rule on who is at fault between the SLI and DMPI.

The loser in the case would shoulder the transport and repackaging expenses, while Makhteshim Chemical Works Ltd. would cover the cost in returning the cargo to Israel, she said.

“The cargo could still be utilized even if it had been submerged in water for three months. They (Makhteshim) could still sell the product,” Bautista said.

Last Wednesday, Eugenio issued an order preventing the Task Force on the Princess of the Stars from moving the toxic cargo without its consent.

But Bautista said while the court gave the task force custody of the shipment, she intends to meet with the Office of the Solicitor General to file a manifestation to inform the court of their plans to return the endosulfan to Israel.

As of yesterday morning, she said a barge hired by the SLI was to transport the toxic cargo from Romblon to Manila, where it would then be brought to Canlubang, Laguna where it would be repacked.

Meanwhile, the task force is optimistic that the divers of Titan Maritime Inc. and Harbor Star, assisted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), would be able to complete the retrieval of the toxic pesticide of Bayer Crop Science (BCS) from the 23,000-gross-ton Princess of the Stars by yesterday and the siphoning of 250,000 liters of crude oil over the weekend.

But SLI vice president for marketing Jordan Go said it appeared that the retrieval of the Bayer products would continue until today.

He earlier explained that it was taking the salvage team some time to accomplish the task because the Bayer products were placed in a consolidated container van and mixed with other products of different importers.

It is only after all the hazardous products are removed would the divers start retrieving the skeletal remains of those trapped in the ship, before finally removing the wreck from the site. Authorities hope to accomplish this task by December.

The Princess of the Stars left the Port of Manila for its voyage to Cebu at around 7 p.m. last June 20. Before noon the next day, upon reaching the vicinity of Sibuyan Island in Romblon, it entered the eye of typhoon “Frank” and was buffeted by strong winds and huge waves, causing it to tilt by 40 degrees to its port side (left side) and turn over completely.

The PCG earlier reported that the tragedy left 32 survivors, more than 200 people dead and about 500 others still missing.