Cuisia dismisses reports Pinoy workers responsible for oil rig blast

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s envoy to the United States denounced media reports that Filipino workers were responsible for the fire at a Louisiana oil platform that left two of their compatriots dead.

During the necrological rites for overseas Filipino workers Ellroy Corporal and Avelino Tajonera held in Cut Off, Louisiana, Ambassador Jose Cuisia conveyed the condolences of President Aquino and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to the families of the victims.

Cuisia also joined the employer and coworkers of the two OFWs in condemning reports that the Filipino workers were responsible for the accident.

Quoting unnamed sources, the report said the accident could have been caused by the incompetence of the Filipino workers and their poor English proficiency.

“The nine Filipinos who were on that platform on November 16 would not have been there if they did not pass stringent training, safety and language requirements both here in the United States and back home in the Philippines,” Cuisia said.

“These men also have extensive experience in the oil and gas industry abroad and with such giants as Shell, Chevron and British Petroleum,” he added.

Cuisia’s sentiments were echoed by Mark Pregeant, president and chief executive officer of Grand Isle Shipyard Inc., the company that deployed the workers.

“Those gentlemen did not cut the wrong line. These gentlemen did not cut that piece of pipe with a torch,” said Pregeant, disputing reports that the fire was triggered by the workers’ wrong use of torch.

In his eulogy, Pregeant paid tribute to the Filipino workers by stressing their role in the restoration of Louisiana’s oil production levels following the onslaught of hurricane “Katrina” in 2005.