CALAMBA CITY, Philippines—The Philippine Coast Guard said on Tuesday the bunker fuel and endosulfan inside the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars would not leak if rocked by waves.

Lieutenant Commander Rafael Bellen, officer-in-charge of the Oil Spill Response Team, said “unless another typhoon ‘Frank’ (international codename: Fengshen) hits the area, the possibility of an oil spill is remote because the service tank is in a stable position."

Bellen said that according to experts from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), who arrived in the country last week, endosulfan would not be soluble in the water, thus, pesticide contamination of the sea, should there be leaks, would take a while.

"If there are dead fishes near the ship, there is a leak," he said, but he reported that so far, there have been no signs of oil or chemical spill.

While waiting for the contracted salvor to begin salvaging operations, the PCG oil-spill response team has been conducting daily water tests for contamination.

Additional oil-spill booms were also transported to Sibuyan Island, Bellen said, because some of the spill booms in place had been destroyed by huge waves.

Meanwhile, Sibuyan villagers were still afraid to buy and consume fish caught in the area despite the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ lifting of the fish ban.

Fisherman Regner Recto, 56, said no one has been buying fish even if fishermen were allowed to sail and catch fish.

"Kahit P30 na ang 'buraw,' wala pa ring bumibili (Even if the price of 'buraw' is only P30, no one wants to buy)," Recto said in a phone interview.