Puno open to creation of maritime court

MANILA, Philippines – Chief Justice Reynato Puno is amenable to the creation of special courts to resolve cases involving maritime disasters such as the one that struck the M/V Princess of the Stars, which capsized off Romblon at the height of typhoon “Frank.”

Puno told reporters yesterday at the end of the two-day “Forum on Increasing Access to Justice by the Poor: Bridging Gaps, Removing Roadblocks,” held at the Court of Appeals in Manila, that while the creation of the courts lies with Congress, the move would be welcome considering the damage to life and property caused by maritime disasters.

“The creation of courts lies within the province of Congress. So the initiative must come from them. I think the latest tragedy and the scope and the scale of tragedies would call for different treatment of this kind of accidents that wreak tremendous losses both to the lives and properties of our people,” he said.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Senator Francis Pangilinan earlier suggested, in the same forum, the creation of courts to aid the families of victims of maritime disasters, especially the indigent ones.

“The Philippines’ record of maritime disasters is deplorable, and unscrupulous shipping companies get away from their liabilities because of the slow dispensation of justice. We need to look into creating special courts that will focus on maritime cases to address this problem swiftly,” Pangilinan said.

He said the effective administration of justice and expeditious disposition of cases involving maritime disasters could be handled by certain branches of Regional Trial Courts in cities that may be designated by the SC to handle cases of maritime accidents that include sinking vessels, collisions, allusions and fire, whenever such accidents result in loss of lives, injuries and destruction or damage to property.

Pangilinan said that the creation of special courts to handle maritime tragedies would also help promote vigilance and efficiency in the local maritime industry with the fear of prosecution and later, conviction of those found to be guilty. He added that prosecution of maritime disaster cases would also be expedited by the use of special courts.

“Several articles in the front pages of major dailies point to the delay in the resolution of cases of maritime tragedies. One question as we gather in this forum, in this particular case, is that the families of the victims, many of whom are poor and marginalized, have yet to see justice rendered swiftly and effectively to redress their loss, their grief, their pain,” he said.