Dive shop hired by Koreans had ‘no business permit’

The shop that a  female Korean tourist contracted for an ill-fated  banana boat ride in  Lapu-Lapu City has no  business permit based on a check with the Lapu-Lapu City Treasurer’s Office  yesterday.

Herminia Tumulak, officer-in-charge of the City Treasurer’s one-stop-shop processing division, said   Manta Aqua Sports Inc. has an account number in their record system but  no transactions or payments were recorded.

“It’s good as having no permit because they didn’t make payments,” she said.

She said the office  will send inspectors to the outlet to verify whether they have other  documents.

The tourist, 50-year-old Ji Sung Sook, was killed when the banana boat she rode on with three  female Korean friends collided with a motorized pumpboat off sitio Looc, barangay Maribago in Lapu-Lapu City last Sunday. Her two friends were injured.

When Cebu Daily News visited the Manta Aqua Sports dive shop, security guard Jomar Luang said the owner didn’t  want to be interviewed.

Some Korean nationals there  got irked when photos were taken of the establishment.

The Korean women were guests of Maribago Bluewater Resort but they chose to go outside to book a boat ride with Manta Aqua Sports even though the high-end resort offers similar amenities, said Eric Monsanto, marketing communications officer of Maribago Bluewater Resort.

He said the resort staff is well  trained and prioritizes the safety of  their guests.

“However, we can’t stop our customers if they don’t want to avail of our amenities,” Monsanto said.

Sook’s husband, son and two in-laws flew in from Korea and went to the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office to file charges against the boatman and the Jet Ski driver that pulled the banana boat she and her friends rode on.

Jae Sik Kim, the  husband, and  25-year-old son Sang Jin Kim, Sook’s father Moo Sup Kim  and Sook’s brother Myung Soo  Ji went first to  the Rolling Hills Funeral Parlor in Mandaue City where Sook’s remains lie in state.

Sang Jin Kim said his mother vacationed in Cebu with her friends who were their neighbors in Bucheon City, South Korea.

His younger brother serves in the military whle he is a third year college student studying in the Netherlands.

Sook’s family said they felt no anger towards the boatman and the Jet Ski driver after meeting them at the office of  Prosecutor l Jude Henrix Ycong in Lapu-Lapu City’s Hall of Justice.

“We understand it’s an accidentt.  We can forgive them but we will be filing the case. We hope that all concerned will learn a lesson from this experience,” said Jae Sik Kim, speaking through an interpreter.

They will fly back to South Korea with his mother’s remains to bury her there.

Lee Og Kynang, one of the injured victims, flew back to South Korea Monday while Park Mi Su is staying in  a Lapu-Lapu City hotel after being discharged from the hospital.