Charges readied vs foreign vessel over ‘damage’ to corals

BOLINAO, Pangasinan, Philippines — The municipal government of Bolinao is ready to file charges against the owner of a foreign vessel that ran aground off the coastal waters of Barangay Patar last week.

The local government is worried that the accident damaged the coral reef in the area.

The municipal council has passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Alfonso Celeste to initiate a probe for possible charges that may be filed against the owner of M/V Chematic.

The vessel, with 23 Chinese and three Myanmar nationals on board, was headed to China from Brunei when it developed engine trouble on Dec. 8.

“Our primary concern is the town’s corals that might have been destroyed by the vessel,” Celeste said yesterday.

He said the council’s resolution would guarantee the removal of the vessel and payment of damages to the local government.

Apart from issuing the resolution, Celeste said the council is coordinating with the vessel’s insurance agency for possible payment of damages.

A tugboat has arrived in the area to tow the Chematic.

The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, which operates a laboratory in the area, will assess the damage on the coral reef once the vessel is towed away.

Celeste said the ship’s captain presented insufficient documents to Customs, Immigration and Quarantine officials who inspected the vessel on Friday.

He said they have yet to inspect the cargo of the vessel, which according to reports they received, was loaded with chemicals used in manufacturing plastic.