Previous violations unearthed: MV Georich skipper fails to submit marine protest

CEBU, Philippines - The Maritime Industry Authority will send a notice to explain to Captain Roland Villarin of M/V Georich after it was found out that the latter failed to submit a marine protest over another incident involving the ship on November 2 last year.

The violation was discovered after MARINA was asked to verify allegations and complaints filed by a passenger against MV Georich, which recently got involved in an incident that stranded 491 passengers off Apo Island in Negros Oriental.

As this developed, the Cebu City Council yesterday strongly urged the concerned government agencies to strictly implement the laws that will ensure the safety of vessels to prevent casualties because of sea tragedies for the reason that many of these sea crafts are no longer seaworthy, but still are allowed to sail.

Councilor Edgardo Labella, who was also a victim of a sea tragedy that happened a few years ago, believes it could be possible that some operators of inter-island vessels are not religiously complying with the required annual dry docking of their sea crafts for check-up.

Last Monday, a certain Neil Antiquina filed a formal complaint before MARINA demanding the maritime authority to declare MV Georich as not seaworthy following the incident that he said “put at risk his life and his family’s as well as the rest of the 491 passengers on board.”

MV Georich experienced an engine failure while en route to Cebu via Dumaguete from Dapitan City last Saturday.

MARINA suspended the vessel’s Passenger Safety Certificate as a standard operating procedure whenever a passenger vessel experiences trouble while en route.

Antiquina, in his formal complaint, demands that MARINA does not allow the vessel to operate again unless the company, after careful inspection and investigation by authorities, can prove that the vessel is capable to transport passengers safely to their destinations.

Antiquina alleged that the incident, where it was stalled at sea, did not happen only once but four times already within a span of two years, citing an incident that happened in January and May 2008, in October 2009 and the most recent that happened last January 2.

MARINA was able to verify that there was an incident that happened on November 2 last year where MV Georich had a stirring casualty that delayed it for two hours. It was on its way to Dumaguete from Cebu. The problem was reportedly repaired immediately on board and the trip resumed in two hours.

The incident was discovered by MARINA through interviews with the crew, engineers and according to the vessel’s log book.

However, MARINA inspector Mardon Martin said that the captain was supposed to submit a Marine Protest which is “a declaration on oath by the master, of the circumstances attending the damage or loss of his vessel, intended to show that the loss accrued by the perils of the sea, and conducting with the protestation against any liability of the owner to the freighters.”

Martin said that they already submitted the result of the investigation and inspection conducted on the vessel and results will be divulged once it is approved by his superior.

He said that the captain will be asked to explain why the November 2 incident was not reported to them. MARINA has not verified yet other incidents on the previous years.

Villarin initially told the Media that he has overlooked the matter because he thought it was just a minor incident since they were able to make it on time. He however said that he will answer the questions of MARINA accordingly.

MARINA will continue its investigation and will conduct hearings to give opportunities for the GP Lines to explain allegations. — Jessica Ann R. Pareja and Rene U. Borromeo/WAB     (FREEMAN NEWS)