Sunken tanker in oil spill lacked permits

MANILA, Philippines — The MT Princess Empress oil tanker – which sank in the waters off the coast of Oriental Mindoro carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil – sailed without an updated certificate of public convenience (CPC), lawmakers uncovered yesterday during a hearing of the Senate committee on the environment.

“The ship has no authority to operate in the form of an amendment to its certificate of public convenience issued to RDC Reield Marine Services,” Sen. Cynthia Villar said, reading a report from the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), which is in charge of issuing CPCs.

At the hearing, senators asked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) whether it made all the necessary inspections before the tanker was allowed to sail.

Asked by Sen. Raffy Tulfo asked why the vessel was allowed to sail, PCG Vice Adm. Joseph Coyme replied that in the checklist, the inspectors did not tick the box on CPC.

Tulfo said PCG officials responsible for allowing the tanker to sail should be jailed. “If you did your jobs, we would not be all here,” he said.

Fritzie Tee, vice president of RDC, said the tanker was new and the company had applied for an amended CPC in November. The company has a CPC but the new vessel necessitates an amendment that is to be approved by the MARINA.

MARINA administrator Hernani Fabia said the CPC application was still being processed. He agreed with Sen. Risa Hontiveros that the tanker should not have sailed.

Upon questioning by Sen. Francis Escudero, Tee said MT Princess Empress had sailed at least nine times before the incident.

Escudero said it was possible the owners were thinking the CPC would be released anyway so they allowed the tanker to be deployed.

Villar and Tulfo warned that claimants – individuals and local government units – may not be able to receive insurance compensation from RDC Reield Maritime Services, since it was not supposed to deploy the tanker without an updated CPC.

Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor told the inquiry that RDC lawyers earlier gave assurances that the company will immediately put up claims offices.

Reports said RDC told the PCG that it was insured for $1 billion.

“I don’t want the people to rely on the $1-billion insurance… we should plan accordingly that we would not get that… the insurance company will find a basis to not pay them,” Villar said.

House probe urged

With the “alarming effects” of the oil spill from MT Princess Empress, Aklan Rep. Teodorico Haresco Jr. has asked a House panel to investigate the extent of the damage on environment, public health, tourism and livelihood in affected areas.

Haresco filed House Resolution No. 842, directing the House committees on natural resources and tourism to do the inquiry in aid of legislation.

The committees were also asked to recommend appropriate measures on how to rehabilitate the damaged coastal areas and provide assistance to the affected communities to mitigate the impact of the disaster.

“It is the duty of the government to protect our marine resources and the health and welfare of the public, particularly the communities who are heavily affected by the recent oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and its neighboring provinces,” the resolution stated.

In a statement, Haresco said that MT Princess Empress is liable for the oil spill under several international conventions. He noted under the 1992 CLC, the owners of the oil tankers are liable for up to P331.3 million subject to computation, and additional liabilities under the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund should they fail to comply.

“Beyond cleanups, we must make an effort to make Princess Empress and its owners RDC Reield Marine Services accountable to the government for damaging our tourism industries and marine resources and to the affected communities whose health and livelihood are heavily compromised,” he added. – Sheila Crisostomo