Sunken ship owner must also pay for maritime pollution, says green group

PREPARATION Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda this week ordered local government workers to start laying booms made of coconut husks along the shores of the coastal towns of Macabebe, Sasmuan and Lubao to prevent the entry of oil spilling from a tanker that sank off Limay town in neighboring Bataan province on July 25. —PHOTO COURTESY OF PAMPANGA PIO

LUCENA CITY—The environmentalist group Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense of Nature) praised Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla for his efforts in securing a commitment from the owner of MT Terranova to provide compensation for oil spill victims in the province but said it was also important to seek accountability for the resulting maritime pollution.

“As a local official, Remulla’s concern for the victims is commendable. But … the bigger crime is environmental destruction caused by the oil spill,” Jay Lim, project officer of TK, a public interest law firm based here, said in an interview on Wednesday.

“This should be the main focus of local and national governments: Polluters must pay,” he said.

Lim called on the national government and local governments affected by the oil spill from the vessel that sank off Bataan “to decisively act to implement the spirit of all laws against oil pollution in the country’s marine resources.”

He cited the Oil Pollution Compensation Act (Republic Act No. 9483), Clean Water Act (RA 9275) and Fisheries Code of the Philippines (RA 8550 as amended by RA 10654) “as the weapons against aquatic destruction and pollution.”

“The laws have sufficient teeth to compel marine environmental destroyers to pay for their criminal acts,” Lim stressed.

MT Terranova, owned by Shogun Ships Co. Inc., sank in the waters off Limay, Bataan, on July 25. It was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel when it sank during the onslaught of Supertyphoon “Carina” (international name: Gaemi). The vessel was chartered to carry fuel from Limay to Iloilo City by SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corp.

Compensation

The Philippine Coast Guard has reported that the oil that leaked from the tanker has spread across the waters covering provinces surrounding Manila Bay, including Cavite.

On Tuesday, Remulla met with Terranova representatives and discussed the compensation from the insurance claims of an estimated 31,000 residents in the coastal areas of the cities of Cavite and Bacoor, and the towns of Noveleta, Rosario, Kawit, Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate affected by the spill.

READ: Senate probe on MT Terranova oil spill set Aug. 13

He estimated the compensation to be around “P12 million a day” starting on July 26, the day after the sinking.

Remulla clarified that he only met with Terranova representatives to discuss the insurance claims for the benefit of oil spill victims and described the company’s commitment to provide compensation as a “mini victory” for victims in the province.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla recently announced that a class suit was being eyed against those responsible for the three recent maritime accidents in Bataan, including the sinking of Terranova.

Ronnel Arambulo, vice chair of the national fisherfolk group Pamalakaya, said they would monitor the outcome of the meeting between Remulla and Terranova representatives.

“It must be ensured that the requested compensation reaches affected fishermen directly, in the form of assistance and livelihood support,” Arambulo told the Inquirer.