Senate summons owners of oil tankers; strict regulation of registration sought
THE SENATE environment committee on Wednesday said it would summon the owners of the capsized MTKR Jason Bradley and MV Mirola 1 oil tankers, which are both leaking oil in waters near Bataan province.
Committee Chairman Senator Cynthia A. Villar moved to summon the ship owners for failing to attend the hearing investigating the spill. Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis N. Tolentino backed the motion.
The owner of the MTKR Terranova, another ship that sank on July 25 and was leaking oil, attended the hearing.
MT Terranova was carrying 1.4 million liters of fuel when it capsized and sank about seven kilometers east of Lamao Point in Limay municipality, Bataan shortly after midnight on July 25, while Super Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) battered Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
The Philippine Coast Guard and Department of Justice earlier accused the ship owners of oil smuggling, which the MTRK Terranova’s shipping company earlier denied.
At the same hearing, Mr. Tolentino called for stricter regulations on the registration documents of vessels. He cited state negligence by allowing these ships to sail during heavy rains.
“The government is the one that created the problem, and the government is also the one looking for the solution,” he said. “This is a circuitous calamity-induced incident, and the blame should always be attributed to the government itself.”
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday said fish and shellfish caught in five areas surrounding the oil spill in Limay, Bataan province were safe for consumption.
The agency said fish samples are regularly collected for traces of oil, grease and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
The Department of Agriculture last week said foregone income of fishermen affected by the oil spill was at about P78.7 million after a fishing ban was imposed.
Members of the United States Coast Guard and a Washington-based oceanic team arrived in Bataan province in northern Philippines earlier this month to help the Philippines contain the oil spill.
The eight-man US team would give technical assistance to a local team deployed to recover the three vessels that sank off the coast of Bataan last month, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
The Department of Justice (DoJ) has said it would go after the owners and crew of MT Terranova, as well as agencies that issued permits.
“Our goal is to find out if there were any mistakes or conspiracies in the issuance of licenses because this has affected many of our fellow citizens,” Justice spokesman Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV said.
Aside from the filing of cases, the DoJ will also provide aid to affected communities.
The oil spill from Bataan affected eight coastal municipalities in Cavite that were earlier placed under a state of calamity.
Cavite Governor Juanito Victor “Jonvic” C. Remulla, Jr. has banned fishing and the sale of all marine products for safety.
The Department of Interior and Local Government was investigating the incident as well as the sinking of the MT Jason Bradley on July 29.
About 352,000 people were affected by the spill across Southern Luzon, according to the Office of Civil Defense. — John Victor D. Ordoñez
