REVILLA WANTS ASAP RESULT OF TWIN SEA TRAGEDY PROBE

Senator Bong Revilla today urged the Philippine Coast Guard to expedite its investigation on the twin sea accidents that happened during this Holiday Season, which was apparently caused by human error.

The senator stressed that the PCG must release the result of its investigation on the sinking of M/V Catalyn B and M/V Baleno 9 as soon as possible to prevent repetition of such accidents. "The PCG must determine whether or not the crew of both ships followed maritime rules. Whether these were caused by overloading or human error, those responsible of these accidents must be punished," said Revilla, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services.

The wooden-hulled passenger sea vessel Catalyn-B which was carrying more than 70 people, collided with fishing vessel Anatalya off Limbones Island in Cavite last Thursday. Search and rescue operations have so far yielded three bodies, while 24 are still missing.

The Roll-on, Roll-off ferry M/V Baleno 9, owned by Besta Shipping Lines, sank off San Agapito, Verde Island , Batangas on Saturday night. As of 4 p.m Sunday, the PCG recorded six (6) casualties, 20 missing and 62 survivors. Reports showed the vessel had on board 14 crew and 74 passengers (for a total of 88 persons on board) and nine rolling cargoes at the time of the incident.

The lawmaker also called on the PCG to intensify its safety measures to avert sea tragedies. "We are already fed up of sea accidents that always happening during Holidays. We must do something about it if we are really serious of saving the lives of our inter-island passengers," Revilla explained.

According to Revilla, maritime accidents brought by overloaded boats are common in the country where the only means of cheap inter-island transport is by boats and other sea vessels.

He said shipping companies which will be found guilty of taking advantage of the expected huge crowd of passengers this Holiday Season must be sanctioned. "If necessary, I will push for the cancellation their franchises if they will be proven guilty of franchise violations. We don't need floating coffins this New Year," he added.

According to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the Philippines is the fourth most accident prone country in the world and this includes sea accidents. Among the most frequently mentioned causes of the sea accidents were overloading of the ship, aging facilities, badly trained crewmembers, and poor compliance by the vessels with safety precautions and measures. Last June 21 2008, MV Princess of the Stars capsized in the Sibuyan Sea at the height of typhoon "Frank's" fury, leaving more than 800 dead. The country's-and the world's-worst peacetime sea disaster was the collision of the MV Doña Paz with MT Vector in Tablas Strait on Dec. 20, 1987 in which more than 4,000 people died.