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By Anthony Vargas, Reporter
THE Board of Marine Inquiry on Friday said it
will summon officials of Del Monte Philippines Inc. and Bayer
Philippines in its investigation of the June 21 MV Princess of the
Stars sea tragedy.
Board chairman, Rear Admiral Ramon Liwag, said
officials of the two companies are to be summoned in light of the
pronouncement of Sulpicio Lines Inc. that the two firms misdeclared
the endosulfan cargoes in the ill-fated vessel.
Liwag said that Del Monte and Bayer officials
will be afforded time to explain their side on their alleged
failure of declaring the “true” nature of the pesticide cargo
loaded on the capsized vessel.
No declaration shipment was toxic
Del Monte, the owner of the endosulfan used in
their pineapple plantation, did not disclose in their bill of lading
with Sulpicio Lines, owner of the capsized vessel, that the
pesticide was “dangerous and toxic.”
This is contrary to the declaration of the Del
Monte in its international shipment document, dated June 16, 2008, which
came from Israel.
The international exporter or shipper of the
endosulfan cargo was identified as Makhteshim Chemical Works Ltd.
located at the Industrial Zone Beer Sheva 84100, Israel. The carrier
was RCS Shipping Agencies.
Based on the records from the Bureau of Customs,
Del Monte declared in the “Description of goods” with Makhteshim
that the cargo consisted of 400 fibreboard box of 25 kilograms of
organochlorine pesticide solid toxic, or endosulfan.
The words solid toxic was never mentioned in the
shipment with Sulpicio Lines.
Bayer, on the other hand, failed to state that
their shipment contains a potentially harmful substance. Instead,
they declared “various goods” in their bill of lading.
Del Monte and Bayer officials are expected to
appear on Saturday’s continuation of the board’s hearing at the
Philippine Coast Guard office at 9 a.m. or on Sunday, if there will
be any schedule.
The endosulfan shipment and Bayer products
were among the cargoes loaded by Sulpicio Lines in the ill-fated
vessel which capsized off Sibuyan Island in Romblon on June 21, at
the height of Typhoon Frank.
Sulpicio giving out claims
Sulpicio Lines has already released the claims
of eight families of the victims who perished from the sea tragedy.
Three of the eight claims were released in Cebu and five in Manila.
The settlement of death claims began after
Sulpicio Lines decided to set aside legal technicalities and waived
the one-year waiting period for missing passengers to be
compensated.
The legal heirs of all victims listed in the
passenger manifest will be paid P200,000 whether the bodies have
been recovered or are still missing.
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