The Philippines, being an archipelagic nation and composed of over 7,000 islands with a burgeoning population, is necessarily also a maritime country. We need boats, motorized bancas, various kinds of sea craft, etc. to move passengers and cargoes from one island to another.
This frenzied movement of people and transport facilities, which goes on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, accounts for the high incidents of accidents at sea. In 2021 alone, there were 214 maritime accidents investigated by the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA). These include collision, listing or capsizing, and grounding of ships.
Whenever an accident occurs in our seas, the news media is agog with headlines and details, agitating the public and government officials to act, but sooner or later both sectors will have less and less interest on the subject, leaving only the
victims and their families with painful memories.
‘It is reassuring to hear that the DOJ is making sure that they have a “quality case on hand,” meaning they possess the necessary pieces of evidence that will result in a reasonable certainty of conviction for the guilty.’
Among the recent maritime disasters involved the MV Lady Mary Joy 3 that went up in flames off the coast of Baluk-Baluk island in Basilan on March 29, killing 31 of the 205 passengers and 35 crew members.
Another is the oil tanker MT Princess Empress that sank near Naujan, Oriental Mindoro last February 28 after the aging vessel reportedly ignored gale warnings and suffered engine trouble. It was carrying some 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank, causing horrendous environmental damage.
The third incident that should be thoroughly probed is the July 27 capsizing of a passenger boat in Laguna de Bay near Talim island in Binangonan, Rizal, which killed 27.
Authorities have determined that typhoons, heavy rains and strong winds, aside from advanced age of vessels and increase in maritime traffic volume are some of the major factors for maritime accidents. Other reasons that are hard to quantify are overloading, insufficient inspection, lack of life vests and general disregard for safety procedures that all boil down to official graft and corruption.
It is thus timely that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has created a task force to investigate maritime disasters. Subject of immediate investigation are the disasters that happened 10 years ago, said Justice Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez at a meeting last Aug. 18 on the Mindoro oil spill.
“We wish the maritime industry to be aware that the government is ready, willing and able to prosecute anyone who will ignore or disregard maritime laws and the safety requirements in terms of maritime travel,” Vasquez said. H e said criminal complaints have been filed in connection with the Mindoro oil spill and the sinking of MT Princess Empress.
Reporters were informed that there are two cases pending – one before the National Prosecution Service which is the case for falsification of public documents, use of falsified documents, and perjury. The other one for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and this is pending before the Ombudsman.
The DOJ earlier said there were 35 respondents in the complaints including officials and personnel of the MARINA and the Philippine Coast Guard as well as the crew and owners of MT Princess Empress.
It is reassuring to hear that the DOJ is making sure that they have a “quality case on hand,” meaning they possess the necessary pieces of evidence that will result in a reasonable certainty of conviction for the guilty.
