Mussomeli: US appreciates effort of 4 Pinoy seamen in protecting US environment

It pays to abide by the law.

United States Embassy chargé d’affaires Joseph Mussomeli said yesterday the US government has given cash rewards totaling $250,000 (about P13.6 million) to four Filipino seamen who reported their cargo ship’s violations of US and international environmental laws.

The reward, Mussomeli said, was given to show gratitude and appreciation for the courage and integrity these seamen showed because they may be blacklisted by shipping companies.

Despite enormous pressure put upon them and despite the risk to their future employment, Jonathan Sanchez, Jimmy Piamonte, Florencio Tolentino and Richard Santillan came forward to report "illegal practices and gross environmental abuse" perpetrated by officers of the M/V Katerina, Mussomeli said.

The 600-foot, 16,320-ton vessel was reported to have dumped large amounts of oil waste into the ocean between February and September 2004.

"These seamen came forward at great personal expense," Mussomeli said. "It will be very difficult for them to ever be rehired."

"Courageous and honorable, these men took actions that demonstrated the innate decency and integrity of Filipino workers and why they are so prized and eagerly sought throughout the world," Mussomeli said during rites honoring the four Filipino sea workers at the US Embassy’s Charles Parsons Ballroom.

Mussomeli said that Sanchez, Piamonte and Tolentino reported the violation of international and US environmental laws committed by M/V Katerina’s Greek captain Loannis Kalliskis, chief engineer Eduardo Guinto and second engineer Rolan Sullesta. Guinto and Sullesta are Filipinos.

The report submitted by Sanchez, Piamonte and Tolentino led to the filing of charges of using false pollution prevention records and obstruction of justice against Kalliskis, Guinto and Sullesta.

Sanchez, Piamonte and Tolentino later convinced Santillan, employed as the ship’s cook, to testify to other violations.

The M/V Katerina, owned by Katerina Navigation and operated by DST Shipping with headquarters in Athens, Greece, was fined $1 million.

The cargo vessel was reported to have used an elbow pipe to bypass the oil water separator (OWS) and discharge oily waste into the ocean.

On Sept. 14, 2004, the vessel docked at the port of Long Beach, California and was boarded by US coast guard inspectors, who were presented with false statements that the ship had properly disposed of its oil waste.

Sanchez, Piamonte, Tolentino and Santillan said they were ordered by their officers to dump oil waste and sewage overboard and to lie about it to the US coast guard inspectors.

The officers allegedly threatened to harm the four Filipino seamen if they cooperated with the US authorities.

The US coast guard reboarded the ship and found the bypass pipe as well as its hiding place.

Sanchez, Piamonte, Tolentino and Santillan and nine other Filipino crewmen turned against their officers and were used as material witnesses in the case.

The 13 Filipino seamen were allowed to return home in February.

As a result of these Filipinos’ actions, the US Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles procured guilty pleas from Kalliskis, Guinto and Sullesta.

The Los Angeles US Attorney’s Office considered the M/V Katerina lawsuit a significant case and the four whistleblowers received the maximum reward allowable under US law.

"For their courage in stepping forward, the US Department of Justice is awarding Sanchez, Piamonte and Tolentino with checks for $75,000 each. For Santillan’s assistance with the case, the US Department of Justice is presenting him with a reward of $25,000," Mussomeli said.

The four seamen admitted they fear for their lives now that their ship’s captain and other superiors are on trial.

Some said they just put up small businesses using the cash reward given by the US government. One, however, said he might have to go into hiding.

"Magtatago na lang siguro (I’ll probably just go into hiding)," said Piamonte when asked about his plans now that he is P4 million richer.

Sanchez said he plans to put up a small business with the cash reward.