Remove ship or face raps, owner warned

THE Lapu-Lapu City government will file charges against the owner of the sunken ship that carried 23,000 sacks of cement and lube oil if he fails to remove the vessel immediately.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza sent a letter to Benjamin Go, in which she demanded that he remove the vessel that sank near the waters off barangay Canjulao, Lapu-Lapu City or else face charges.

Radaza met with city environment and barangay officials of Canjulao, Looc, Calawisan and Babag after the sunken vessel was spotted near the site two weeks ago. Radaza didn’t give a time frame for the removal but said Go should remove the vessel immediately.

She said fisherfolk in the four barangays voiced concern that the pollution caused by the cement and lube oil will damage the ecosystem there.

The mayor said she sent Task Force Kalikasan scuba divers and environment officials to make an ocular inspection in the site where the M/V B & E Uno ship sank.

The Philippine Coast Guard earlier assured the city government that they have already placed spill booms and found no leak in the containers where the lube oil and fuel were placed.

The vessel sank after it hit shallow water while maneuvering between the pier of Super Shuttle Ferry and Gothong in Mandaue City.  Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza