23-6-2023 (MANILA) It has been fifteen long years since the fateful day of June 21, 2008, when the interisland ferry MV Princess of the Stars sank in the waters off Romblon, Philippines. The heartbreaking incident claimed the lives of 814 passengers, leaving behind a trail of devastation and grief. To this day, over 500 individuals who were aboard the ill-fated vessel remain missing, their fate shrouded in uncertainty.
In a meeting held on Thursday, survivors and representatives of the victims of a tragic ferry incident gathered to discuss their plea for compensation from Sulpicio Lines, now known as Philippine Span Asia Carriers Inc. The meeting involved Persida Rueda-Acosta, the chief of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and other PAO officials. The purpose was to prepare their case before the Court of Appeals, urging the ferry’s owner to take responsibility for the losses suffered by the families.
PAO has taken on the task of handling the civil cases on behalf of the grieving families. Rueda-Acosta expressed the families’ ongoing pursuit of justice, stating that while it remains elusive, they still hold hope for a brighter future. She assured the victims’ relatives and the 32 survivors present at the meeting that PAO would continue to fight for their cause, even if others were to withdraw their support. The families of the victims, who were present during the gathering, maintained their confidence that justice would eventually prevail.
PAO filed a petition for certiorari with the Court of Appeals on behalf of the relatives, challenging the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 64, which dismissed the case and absolved Sulpicio Lines of any liability. Additionally, with the assistance of PAO, the families filed a motion for reconsideration before the Manila RTC.
Rueda-Acosta emphasized the need for caution in exercising the power of courts to grant demurrers in criminal cases due to the involvement of the accused’s rights and public interest. It was discovered that the prosecution was not given the opportunity to contest the demurrer filed by the alleged owner of Sulpicio Lines, Edgar Go.
The prosecution appealed to the Manila court to reconsider its ruling from November 18, 2021. In their motion, the prosecution highlighted that Go’s indictment was supported by the Supreme Court in a ruling dated December 10, 2018. The Supreme Court upheld the findings of the Department of Justice, which implicated Go in the decision-making process regarding the company’s vessels sailing out of the port of Manila.
In a separate development, a judge in Cebu ordered the indemnification of 55 heirs of the victims, amounting to P226.9 million (S$5.5 mil).
The ferry incident occurred when the vessel encountered stormy seas near San Fernando town in Romblon. At that time, Typhoon “Frank” was directly impacting the island province.
Rueda-Acosta provided an overview of the legal cases related to the tragedy, explaining that out of the 59 cases filed, 55 resulted in awarded damages, while four were dismissed due to a lack of evidence. She mentioned that 71 cases have been consolidated and filed before the Manila RTC-Branch 51, while an additional 63 cases were filed before another court in Cebu.
“In Manila, Judge Daniel Villanueva of Branch 51 ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and ordered damages to be awarded. However, the Villanueva decision is currently under appeal at the Court of Appeals,” she stated.
The families of the victims have also filed a case with the Maritime Industry Authority, seeking the cancellation of Sulpicio Lines’ franchise.
