PAO decries slow justice for ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars

PAO decries slow justice for 'Princess'
Arlie O. Calalo June 24, 2022 https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/06/24/news/national/pao-decries-slow-ju...

THE Public Attorney's Office (PAO) has expressed dismay over the snail-paced dispensation of justice for the victims of the sinking of a vessel owned by the Sulpicio Lines Inc. (SLI) 14 years ago that left 814 passengers dead.

PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, who met on Thursday with some heirs and survivors of the ill-fated M/V Princess of the Stars to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the tragedy, could not hide her disappointment over the slow justice as she assailed the delaying tactics of the camp of the vessel owners to evade paying compensation for the aggrieved families.

The vessel sank on June 21, 2008 off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon at the height of Typhoon "Frank."

"The justice the relatives of the victims have been longing for remains elusive and maybe tomorrow there would be light and there is still hope," Rueda-Acosta said.

She assured the relatives and 32 survivors that the PAO under her leadership will not slow down as they will continue fighting for their interest "even if others would back out."

"The prosecutors appeared to have already given up but not us here in PAO, we will continue to maximize our resources to help the relatives of the victims of the sinking vessel of Sulpicio Lines until justice is fully served," Rueda-Acosta said.

She said that her agency filed a petition for certiorari before the Court of Appeals (CA) on April 7, 2022 for the relatives who questioned the decision of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 64 dismissing the case and absolving the SLI management.

Assisted by PAO, the relatives have also filed a manifestation to join with the public prosecutors in filing the motion for reconsideration before Judge Maria Paz Reyes-Yson.

"While the herein private complainants and the prosecution respect the right of this honorable court in issuing its order granting the demurrer to evidence filed by herein accused Edgar S. Go, the gravity of the tragedy, its impact on the Philippine maritime industry as well as the entire country's cry for justice, demands the same to be reconsidered," the complainants' manifestation read.

The prosecution said the lower court should take a second look at the evidence they presented and reconsider its Nov. 18, 2021 order.

"The prosecution maintains that it has sufficiently established the identity and culpability of accused Edgar S. Go, considering that he has control over the operations of the vessels of SLI," it said.

"It was clearly established that accused Edgar S. Go, as the first vice president for administration and head of the crisis management committee of SLI, possesses the power, authority and the duty to control and decide matters pertaining to its vessels' navigation at sea. This is the reason why, among the officers and owners of SLI, it was only accused Edgar S. Go who was indicted," it added.

Rueda-Acosta said of the 59 cases filed, 55 were granted damages while four were dismissed for failure to present evidence. She said 71 cases were consolidated and filed before the Manila RTC-Branch 51 and 63 others were filed before Branch 16 in Cebu.

"In Manila, the cases were decided in favor of the plaintiffs by Manila Judge Daniel Villanueva (Branch 51) and ordered the award of damages to the plaintiffs. But the Villanueva decision is still the subject of an appeal before the Court of Appeals," she said.

The relatives filed a case before the Maritime Industry Authority seeking to cancel the franchise of SLI to ferry passengers which was granted and affirmed by CA in 2018.

"They are now cargo ships and the shipping company (SLI) was renamed as the Philippine Span Asia Carriers Inc.," Rueda-Acosta said.