Mindoro oil spill: Mayors to consolidate raps vs vessel owner  

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of local government units in areas affected by the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker MT Princess Empress have agreed to consolidate the filing of charges against the owner of the vessel.

Oriental Mindoro mayors met with Gov. Bonz Dolor on Friday to discuss the filing of charges, Pola Mayor Jennifer Cruz told a radio interview yesterday.

Cruz said it was agreed upon during the meeting that the provincial government would file the case.

She said the municipal government of Pola has tapped the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation as it is mulling the filing of a separate case.

Cruz noted that their town suffered the biggest damage.

“I have asked our municipal agriculture office to measure our shoreline. We also need to check our total mangrove areas and the total number of fisherfolk who were displaced as well as the marine protected areas that were affected. We will enumerate these in filing the damages against the owner (of the vessel),” she said.

The oil spill from Empress, which was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel when it sank amid inclement weather on Feb. 28, has reached Caluya, Antique and Taytay, Palawan.

‘Slow response’

Cruz lamented the slow response to the oil spill, noting that it took six days before the containment booms arrived.

The owner of Empress has not provided any assistance, she added.

“Wala po talaga, as in wala pa po kaming nararamdaman na tulong from them,” Cruz said in an interview with “The Chiefs” on One News on Friday night.

Cruz said a representative from RDC Reield Marines Services visited Pola and offered to provide relief goods. However, she said they have not received anything.

She said RDC has not responded to requests for additional containment booms.

”Wala talaga silang malinaw na inilatag na tulong para sa bayan ng Pola,” Cruz said.

She said 11 barangays in Pola were affected by the oil spill, which also displaced 1,700 fisherfolk. –  Emmanuel Tupas