Siphoning of oil finally starts

CEBU, Philippines - After being postponed a number of times, the siphoning of the remaining oil from the sunken MV Saint Thomas Aquinas finally started yesterday.

This was confirmed by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Cebu Station Commander Weniel Azcuna during the regular Command Conference at Cebu City Hall.

The siphoning of the oil from the ill-fated MV Saint Thomas Aquinas was reportedly deferred for the drilling of holes in the oil tanks of the ship as part of the necessary preparations for the siphoning.

M/V Saint Thomas Aquinas reportedly had around 120,000 liters of lube oil, diesel and fuel oil.

The siphoning is expected to be finished by September 28.

“Our original timeline for siphoning was September 30 but it was moved to 28 and we will also try to finish it earlier than the said date if everything goes well,” Azcuna announced.

On October 8, Azcuna said that they will also start the mobilization process or the removal of the equipment inside the sunken ship.

Further, there is no need to continuously pour chemical dispersant in the affected sea water, said Azcuna.

In the past few weeks, PCG and the company commissioned by 2GO group have been spraying chemical dispersants in the sea water where oil from the ship has reached.

“No need of dispersal kasi minimal leak of oil nalang so natural dispersion or we can mitigate the oil through natural processes like evaporation,” Azcuna explained.

Azcuna said that the retrieval operations have been temporarily suspended to give way for the siphoning.

Yesterday, one body was seen floating at Lauis Ledge and was immediately brought to Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, bringing up the total number of fatalities to 116 while 21 remain missing.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has approved yesterday the proposed apartment-type burial of the remaining 45 unidentified cadavers that is still at Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes.

Rama has set the burial date on September 25 at Carreta Cemetery in Cebu City.

Funeral homes manager, Engr. Bong Ebo said that they already conducted an ocular inspection yesterday at the cemetery and found ample areas to construct the temporary resting place of the unidentified bodies.

Ebo said that the construction will start on Tuesday and will be completed before September 25.

Rama promised that the city government will give assistance for the ceremony, the transportation of the bodies and other logistics. —/ATO (FREEMAN)