PCG admits personnel negligence linked to 27 Binangonan boat deaths
The Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday admitted at a Senate panel hearing that the negligence of their personnel was linked to the capsizing of Motorbanca Princess Aya off Binangonan, Rizal, which led to the deaths of 27 passengers.
“One thing is certain, there was negligence on the part of our people and we are brave enough to accept the consequences of our actions,” PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu said in a Senate hearing.
“It is clear that our personnel had lapses and they are aware of this,” he added.
Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Services responded: “That’s heavy on the conscience, thinking about how because of their negligence, several lives were lost. I don’t want to rub salt in the wound but they have to be held accountable.”
Abu said the two PCG personnel assigned at the Binangonan station have been relieved and an investigation followed.
“We have imposed sanctions on the substation commander, the one who didn’t inspect the boat, and their immediate supervisor,” he added.
For his part, PCG NCR Central Luzon District Commander Rear Admiral Hostilo Cornelio said they had conducted a parallel investigation with the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“When we compared our notes and found out that among those liable are the operator, the owner, and our Coast Guard personnel,” Cornelio said.
Tulfo asked if the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) should also be held accountable since the hulls of the motorbancas are made of wood and have not been replaced with fiber-enforced plastic or steel under its 2016 memorandum circular.
Marina Administrator Hernani Fabia said that even with their 2016 memorandum circular in effect, they still grant some areas an extension because of the lack of transportation.
Tulfo replied that the lack of transportation should not outweigh the safety of passengers.
“Who certified that this banca was safe for a certain number of passengers? I want to know so they can be sent to jail,” Tulfo asked Fabia.
“This (motorbanca) is authorized to carry 38 passengers. It underwent a thorough inspection by our safety engineer,” Fabia responded.
Tulfo criticized the design of Motorbanca Princess Aya for not being safe due to the lack of stabilizers.
Meanwhile, Donald Anain, captain of the boat, said he did not have a license to operate Motorbanca Princess Aya but he had applied for a Seafarer Identification Book in Marina, which the PCG honors.
Marina Deputy for Operations Nanette Villamor-Dinopol explained that the book only used to record the sea service of a captain but a license is still needed to operate a boat.
Abu denied Anain’s claim and said they only honor licenses issued by Marina.
Tulfo then asked Anain how much money he gave to the PCG to allow him to sail without a license and despite the boat being overloaded.
“I just bought them P100 worth of bananas. Sometimes money is involved. I gave them P50,” he said.
Anain said that for each trip, senior citizens and students P40 while regular passengers pay P50.
In a statement, PCG Spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo rejected the boat captain’s allegations of personnel accepting bribes.
"That's absurd. I do not think our personnel would resort to accepting bananas and P50 in exchange for favors," Balilo said.
"The captain denied giving liquors to our personnel. Our personnel also denied demanding these items. They have not received anything," he said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
