Palace backs probe on Subic accident

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is supporting the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) investigation into the deaths of six workers at a shipyard in Subic to determine if the company followed safety standards.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda in an interview over government-run dzRB yesterday said DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz has ordered an investigation of the incident.

“That is being looked into, the safety standards at Keppel. But I understand Keppel is also willing to shoulder the expenses as to the hospitalization, medical assistance to those who were injured,” Lacierda said.

He said the Palace also “totally agrees” with calls for a stricter implementation of safety standards.

“There are existing safety standards. So we are going to determine through the Department of Labor and Employment what really happened in Subic and is any safety standards were violated,” he said.

Based on reports, the workers were repairing the M/V Tombarra, a 22,650-ton container ship that could carry 6,350 cars, when a steel platform at the Subic Shipyard and Engineering Inc. collapsed Friday. The yard is managed by Singapore’s Keppel Shipyard Ltd.

Six workers were killed and at least seven others were seriously injured in the accident.