President orders swift probe of tragedy at sea

PRESIDENT Aquino was in a meeting on Thursday when he was told of the boat tragedy off Ormoc City, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said yesterday.

Valte quoted Mr. Aquino as immediately ordering his aides: “Do whatever we can to send support to be able to augment the search and rescue.”

Mr. Aquino also ordered an investigation.

Valte said that even while search and rescue operations were ongoing, there should be investigators getting eyewitness accounts and checking documents, including the passenger manifest of the MB Nirvana.

Valte said the President wanted a swift investigation con- ducted, the reason the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) immediately formed a maritime casualty investigation team.

“They are working with the Maritime Industry Authority to get to the bottom of the situation and the President wants to make sure the results of the investigation will be objective,” she said.

Valte said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development was providing grief counseling to the survivors.

Condolences from Mar

Valte stressed that the company that owns the boat should be at the forefront of assisting the passengers and families of the victims.

In Cagayan de Oro City, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas expressed his condolences to the families of those who died.

Roxas also announced that he ordered the Maritime Group of the Philippine National Police to help in the investigation.

“I’m saddened by this incident and I extend my sincerest condolences to the families of the victims,” Roxas said in an interview after leading the distribution of PNP patrol jeeps in Camp Alagar.

He said the investigators had been tasked to determine if the crew followed the protocols in loading passengers and cargos.

Overloading looked into

Roxas said the probers should also look into the possibility that the vessel was overloaded.

“Where was the boat captain? It’s not acceptable that your life is being put in danger when you take public transportation, be it a passenger bus or boat,” he said.

A lawmaker said authorities should be made to answer why the passengers had not been provided with life vests upon boarding the boat.

Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said operators of motorized commuter bancas were supposed to give every passenger a life vest from the point of boarding to disembarkation.

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Coast Guard to tighten its inspection of maritime vessels.

He said passengers were “sometimes only made to wear life vests just before reaching their destination just to show compliance with the Coast Guard.”

Sen. Francis Escudero reminded the Coast Guard of its promise of rigid safety inspection of sea vessels to bring down the number of accidents.

Escudero, who chairs the Senate finance committee, said the PCG’s P5.6-billion 2015 budget had performance indicators.

Condolences from abroad

The PCG has committed to bring down maritime incidents five percent from 517 to 544, and slash marine pollution accidents from 35 percent to 32 percent.

Condolences poured in from abroad as the death toll rose in the sinking of the outrigger ferry.

Li Lingxiao, Chinese Embassy spokesperson, said it was sad- dened to learn of the tragedy.

“Our thoughts go to the families of those who have lost loved ones and our condolences go to the Philippine people. We wish them strength and fortitude during this time of difficulty and pain. We hope the search and rescue efforts will be successful,” Li said.

Romain Nadal, French foreign ministry spokesperson, said France was shocked to learn of the tragedy.

“In these tragic circumstances, France extends its condolences to the victims’ families and expresses its solidarity with the authorities and the people of the Philippines,” Nadal said.