PNP backs task force to probe Palawan ferry fire
MANILA, Philippines — With the death toll at 77 and eight people still missing, the Philippine National Police on Sunday said it supports the creation of a proposed interagency task force to investigate the MV June Aster tragedy and determine the truth.
The MV June Aster, operated by Atienza Interisland Ferries, was en route from Manila to Palawan when it caught fire on Sept. 9 before eventually running aground off Coron, leaving 43 survivors.
“We will provide the necessary forensic, investigative and law enforcement support to help establish the facts and determine accountability, if warranted,” PNP chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement.
READ: Ferry skipper caught off guard as fire spread fast
The task force will initially focus on the vessel’s port-to-port operations and the circumstances behind the incident, alongside closer coordination among participating agencies.
“Our priority is to establish the truth and ensure that those who may be responsible are held accountable under the law,” added Nartatez.
The proposal was discussed during a Sept. 18 meeting among Nartatez, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Police forensic personnel have assisted in identifying victims, including badly burned bodies.
Second sweep
The PNP is also coordinating with the PCG, which conducted a secondary sweep of the vessel to secure additional evidence.
In a social media post on Sunday, the PNP-Maritime Group’s 2nd Special Operations Unit (2nd SOU), through the Coron Special Boat Crew, said it continues to support ongoing search, rescue and retrieval operations following the MV June Aster fire.
Survivors earlier reported hearing an explosion near the cargo hold before the fire spread rapidly.
On Saturday, the PCG said that response teams recovered 7,865 gallons of oily water mixture from the vessel and collected samples of lube oil, fuel oil, contaminated oil and seawater, including from the engine room, for laboratory analysis. /cb
