29-7-2023 (MANILA) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has taken action against two of its personnel stationed in a substation that oversees the area where a motorized passenger boat capsized in Laguna de Bay, off Binangonan, Rizal, shortly after departing from the port on July 27.
During a press conference held yesterday, PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu announced the removal of the two personnel “for them not to interfere in the fair conduct of the investigation.”
He emphasized that the purpose of the investigation is to determine if there were any shortcomings in their duties and refrained from making premature judgments, stating in Filipino, “We can’t say yet that they have lapses.”
The ill-fated boat, Aya Express, was en route to Talim Island on Thursday when it encountered strong winds, causing panic among the passengers who rushed to the left side, resulting in the boat overturning shortly after leaving Barangay Kalinawan port around 1:30 p.m.
According to the PCG’s incident command post in Binangonan, as of 5 p.m. yesterday, a total of 70 passengers have been accounted for: 43 were rescued, while 27 others tragically lost their lives.
Jose Hernandez III, chief of the Binangonan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, cautioned that the figure might not be the final count of passengers on board the boat. The PCG needs to complete its “surface search and rescue/retrieval operations” in the next three days, during which they will also search for bodies that might have floated within the area where the boat capsized.
Disturbingly, the captain of the boat had only listed 22 names in the manifesto despite the boat’s maximum capacity being reported as 42 people, according to Rear Admiral Hostillo Arturo Cornelio, PCG’s National Capital Region (NCR)-Central Luzon District commander.
To aid in the search efforts, the PCG has deployed divers to comb through the wreckage. Captain Glen Daraug, PCG’s NCR District Deputy Commander, confirmed, “The entire boat has not been searched yet. Maybe in the canopy or canvass roof, we will look there.”
The underwater search and rescue/retrieval operations, conducted jointly by the PCG, police, and Philippine Red Cross, concluded at 1:30 p.m. yesterday after seven hours of effort. Today, the focus will shift to “surface search and rescue/retrieval operations.”
Amid the tragedy, Admiral Abu called upon owners and operators of passenger vessels to prioritize safety and responsibility. He also asserted that the boat’s captain would be thoroughly investigated.
In response to the incident, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) suspended the passenger ship safety certificate of Aya Express, effectively banning it from sailing. The suspension decision came after doubts were raised about the vessel’s fitness to sail following the mishap.
Apologies were offered by the skipper of Aya Express, Donald Anain, who expressed remorse over the unfortunate event. “I hope they will forgive me for what happened, I did not wish for it to happen,” Anain said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
As search and retrieval operations continue for other potential passengers, a mother of one of the casualties accused authorities of negligence regarding passenger safety. Glenda, the mother of 24-year-old Denice Aparentado, a teacher who perished in the incident, blamed the PCG for allegedly allowing passenger overloading on boats since the easing of travel restrictions and seating capacity rules enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Heart-wrenching stories of loss continue to emerge, with six relatives of Rey Arambulo, chairman of Barangay Gulod in Talim Island, Binangonan, among those who tragically perished, while three others miraculously survived. Additionally, two presidents of senior citizens’ associations in Binangonan were also among the casualties.
In response to the devastating event, the Diocese of Antipolo announced special collection efforts during Sunday masses to aid the families of the 27 passengers who lost their lives. Bishop Ruperto Santos called for support from the Catholic faithful in the diocese to help the bereaved families during this difficult time.
Amid calls for an investigation into the incident, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III raised concerns about the decision to lift the no-sailing order despite prevailing hazardous weather conditions at the time of the incident. While demanding accountability, he also expressed prayers for the brave PCG personnel who lost their lives while performing their duty during the storm.
