Passengers' stuff retrieved from sunken boat

PUERTO GALERA, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines – A joint team of the Coast Guard and police has retrieved in a two-day operation the personal belongings of passengers of a motorized banca that sank off Batangas last May 23, killing 12 people.

Superintendent James Brillantes, Puerto Galera police chief, said divers from the Calapan Coast Guard began scouring the sunken banca at the Minolo pier here on Tuesday and collected the passengers’ belongings inside the M/B Commando 6.

Brillantes said the divers headed by Lt. Algier Ricafrente, Calapan commander of the Coast Guard, were able retrieve handbags, backpacks, cellular phones, digital cameras, identification cards, clothes, pieces of jewelry, an iPod and cash.

“We are trying our best to recover, if possible, all the personal belongings of the passengers and erase the impression that there was looting during the rescue operation,” Brillantes told The STAR.

“If ever there were things missing, it is possible that (these) sank deep into the sea, but we will still investigate the allegations of the victims,” he added.

Brillantes advised the survivors and families of the fatalities to call the Puerto Galera police at 043-2873043 or text 0916-1216776 and bring the necessary identification cards.

Three children and a Japanese national were among the fatalities. Fifty other passengers and five crewmembers of Commando 6 were rescued.

The motorized banca capsized off Malajibomanok Point in Batangas, some nine nautical miles from its destination at the Muelle Port here.

Meanwhile, Coast Guard commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said the Special Board of Marine Inquiry should consider inviting a naval architect to its probe, aside from Commando 6’s crew and owner, the Ilagan Shipping Lines, and the survivors.

This, as Tamayo cited the need to review the design and stability of motorized bancas with outriggers. – With Evelyn Macairan