Oil spill: LGUs to sue sunken vessel owners

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) affected by the oil spill from the sunken motor tanker Princess Empress are eyeing the collective filing of charges against the owners of the vessel, according to Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor.

“We will act as one. Isang legal action, isang claim lang,” Dolor said in a radio interview yesterday.

He gave assurance that all legal remedies would be exhausted.

Dolor said concerned LGUs would focus on their collective efforts to contain the oil spill and provide assistance to affected families as well as come up with comprehensive plans for the recovery of the sunken vessel.

He said 17,071 families would benefit from the cash-for-work program through the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the TUPAD program of the Department of Labor and Employment.

The Department of Health is also helping concerned LGUs in oil response efforts.

Dolor said he approved the recommendation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to continue enforcing the fishing ban in Bulalacao and Naujan towns pending conclusive findings on food safety.

23 leaking areas

A Japanese remotely operated vehicle (ROV) found 23 areas in the vessel where oil is still leaking.

Among the leaking areas are the ballast tank vents, access hatches, tank pressure valves and cargo pipework on deck, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla said, citing results of the ROV survey.

“No findings of oil leaks from the fuel and service tanks... There was no presence of seepage of marine vessel oil,” Tuvilla said.

Dolor said the Japanese ROV also found eight tanks of oil.

The front portion of the motor tanker was said to be heavily damaged.

“Sa buong barko may 23 leaking areas. Kaya lang dun sa nag-li-leak, wala na galing sa krudo na kinokonsumo sa pagbiyahe. Ang assumption, it’s safe to say, yung unang lumabas, ito yung laman ng tangke na ginagamit as marine transportation diesel,” Dolor said.

He said foreign experts recommended bagging and patching of leaks as well as hot tapping and pumping that will use equipment designed to operate at depths of 395 meters and beyond.

As this developed, a team from the United States Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team arrived yesterday to help in oil spill response operations.

BBM: No need for oil spill czar

President Marcos said there is no need to appoint a czar to lead the government’s response to the oil spill.

“The head of the task force for the oil spill is the Coast Guard. Admiral (Artemio) Abu heads it... There’s no need to organize something for everything,” the President said in an interview after attending the 126th anniversary of the Philippine Army in Taguig City.

“The idea is to have the assets in place so that when something like this happens we will have a response. We do not have to organize a special group, a special committee, a special task force. They’re ready as it is,” he said.

Some senators urged Marcos to designate an official to lead the government’s response to the oil spill.

Meanwhile, militant fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) urged the government to expedite efforts to prevent the oil spill from affecting marine resources.

Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap expressed concern that the oil spill has reached the Verde Island Passage, considered as the global center of the center of marine biodiversity. – Helen Flores, Emmanuel Tupas