Lawmakers to grill Del Monte on endosulfan shipment

MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers are set to question Del Monte Phils. Inc. on the use of endosulfan and its toxic shipment that went down with the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars that capsized during a typhoon last month.

Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella, chairman of the committee on transportation of the House of Representatives, said they have already sent invitations to Del Monte executives, who will have to explain why they are still using the toxic chemical and shipped 10 metric tons of it in a passenger ferry.

Puentevella assured every party would have to explain, countering public perception that not all invited by the House would be grilled like the officials of the state weather bureau who were criticized last week for its erratic weather bulletins.

“Everyone will be grilled, no exceptions, no soft glove, including Del Monte and Sulpicio (SLI),” Puentevella said, referring to the owners of the ill-fated Princess of the Stars that sank with hundreds of passengers still trapped underneath.

Puentevella added some of the survivors and families of the victims have been invited to attend the hearing on July 17. 

He added the Philippine Coast Guard also has a lot of explaining to do since it was they “who gave the clearance” for the ship to sail amid strong typhoon warning.

Speaker Prospero Nog-rales, for his part, urged for a more extensive coverage of the House probe to involve other shipping firms “in order to find out the level of competence of the various government agencies involved in ensuring maritime safety.”

Reports have it that SLI had 45 cases of sea accidents for the past 28 years, which included ships that caught fire, and not only four as reported earlier.

SLI has had at least three other major accidents since 1987, when its Doña Paz vessel collided with an oil tanker, killing around 4,000 people in the worst peacetime maritime disaster in history.

Citing reports from the maritime research firm Lloyd’s MIU

(www.lloydsmiu.com), vessels owned by SLI been involved in 45 accidents since 1980, including the June 21 sinking of the Princess of the Stars that killed more than 700 passengers and crew.

“Its disturbing maritime safety record is an undeniable proof of Sulpicio’s reckless disregard on sea safety,” Nograles said.

Nograles also urged the committee to determine the extent of culpability – borne out of “negligence” - of the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Coast Guard and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) officials.

“The House investigation should also cover the past records of sea disasters because this would help us discover the lapses of certain water vessel operators and maritime officials in ensuring sea safety and the seaworthiness of every ship,” Nograles said.

Having a record of 45 sea tragedies involving just one shipping company is “no longer normal,” Nograles said.

“It has become obvious that negligence and recklessness due to incompetent government supervision are also to be blamed for the sea mishaps,” he said.

Nograles said the DOTC, Marina and other maritime officials should be made to account for their negligence in the performance of duties that led to the tragedy.