The owner of the tanker MT Terra Nova, its insurer, and the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) are willing to compensate those affected by the oil spill caused by the vessel’s sinking off the coast of Bataan, an official of the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Saturday.
“Ginamit naming template iyong Mindoro oil spill at ang magandang balita doon ay automatically lumabas iyong may-ari ng Terra Nova at saka lumabas iyong insurer nila at saka iyong IOPC,” Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said in a news forum.
“Kinausap na iyong governor ng Bataan si Governor Abet Garcia, tapos iyong pangalawa iyong Governor Jonvic Remulla, naman ng Cavite at they identified roughly 21 inhabitants of Bataan and 31,000 inhabitants of Cavite as probable claimants ng compensation. And the owner, the insurer as well as the IOPC already signified their readiness to pay,” Vasquez said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. created an inter-agency task force to immediately address the possible effects of the oil spill.
The task force is led by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) as members.
In the case of another sunken tanker, the Jason Bradley, Vasquez said its owner has a pending oil smuggling case before the DOJ.
“Well I think last year based on report ng NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) at saka (Bureau of) Customs, mayroon nagpapa-ihi sa laot, tankers, katabi iyong kinuhanan nilang barge. Tapos noong dumating iyong mga otoridad natin ang nahuli isang tanker, iyong isang tanker iyong Jason Bradley daw nakatakas at hinahanap na iyong Jason Bradley na ito,” Vasquez said.
“Nalaman lamang na andiyan lang pala sa Mariveles at naka-angkla noong lumubog ito, Question? It’s just 600 yards from Mariveles port. Why? So, that’s one for the red flags, kaya nga tuloy iyong investigation ng NBI, Coast Guard at saka Marina (Maritime Industry Authority),” he added.
The Jason Bradley sank off the coast of Bataan, a few days after the MT Terra Nova capsized in the waters off Lamao Point in Limay, in the same province last July 25. | PND
