Friday, June 27, 2008
Class suit set v. shipowners
FAMILIES of victims of the mv Princess of the Stars tragedy began planning yesterday a lawsuit against Sulpicio Lines Inc., after five stress-filled days of waiting for information about their loved ones.
The Insurance Commission 7, meanwhile, said it will assist the heirs to speed up the release of their benefits, said Director Cesar Olaer Jr. Each family stands to get at least P200,000 each from the vessel’s insurance.
Olaer advised the legitimate heirs of the casualties to prepare all the requirements for insurance claims and evidence that they are the lawful beneficiaries.
Ryan Go of Sulpicio Lines also assured family members that on top of the promised P200,000 in insurance claims, the company will pay for the burial expenses.
Lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) arrived yesterday at the action center to provide legal assistance to the families.
“We will be giving legal advice, like dealing with documents,” said PAO 7 Regional Public Attorney Maria G-Ree Calinawan. Their efforts will focus on assisting the families during the identification process.
The wait, however, has taken its toll on the families.
“Wala may klaro ang mga updates (The updates are too vague),” lamented Ruaina Castro, 36. Her husband, Johndy, 38, worked as part of the vessel’s sanitation crew and has not been sighted since the ship capsized off Sibuyan Island.
Castro, one of the hundreds of distraught families at the action center, admitted she was dismayed that the updates were inconsistent. “They keep changing what they are saying. One time they say this and the next thing you know, everything changes,” she said Castro Bisaya.
Inez Gipango, 53, said she was sick of waiting at the action center and believes it would be better if the families united and brought the shipping company to court.
“Ni-ingon ko sa akong mga kauban nga maghiusa tang tanan ug mogamit ta ug abogado. (We need to unite and hire a lawyer.) File a case! Unsa man atong mahimo diri?
Sige lang ta ug balik-balik diri ‘nya karon nagsiga lang atong mata (We won’t accomplish anything here. We keep coming back, but nothing happens),” said a furious Gipango.
The PAO 7, on orders of their central office, will have three to five attorneys at the action center each day to assist families with their legal concerns.
“I know there are problems with what documents they should present, so we can advise them. If there are problems with what are the right documents, we will advise
them what these are and which agency to approach,” said Calinawan.
Also yesterday, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) turned over P400,000 to the Cebu City Government to augment the latter’s funds intended for relief operations.
Jaybee Carillo, DSWD 7 information officer, said the amount represents the agency’s food assistance to the families and relatives of the victims from the mv Princess of the Stars accident.
“This is just a minimal amount intended to augment whatever the City is spending for their action center operations, especially since majority of the families are not from Cebu City,” she said.
Of the 430 heads of families staying at the Cebu City Sports Center, only 92 are from the city.
There are at least 230 from Cebu Province, 36 from Luzon, 25 from Bohol, 15 from Oriental Negros, two from Siquijor, seven from other parts of the Visayas and 23 from Mindanao.
Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council, said the City has so far spent around P500,000 to P600,000 for food and transportation alone.
While appreciative of the food and other assistance they’re getting at the action center, the victims’ families are exhausted by their long wait.
Identifying the bodies is expected to take time, given the paperwork required. Only then can the families seek reparation for their losses.
According to the Insurance Commission’s Olaer, if the documents are complete, the vessel’s insurer must pay them within 30 days, as provided for by law.
Director Glenn Cabañez of the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) 7 said that under the new guidelines, shipping firms must insure the passengers of their vessel based on the authorized capacity.
Because the mv Princess of the Stars could accommodate 1,992 passengers, it is presumed that all the 724 passengers on board when the vessel sank were insured.
Andy Manatad, president of the Cebu Insurers Club, said that when there is an insurance claim, the proceeds go to the immediate kin of the deceased and will longer pass through the shipping firm concerned.
Marina Administrator Vicente Suazo Jr. said they are pushing for a consortium of legitimate insurance companies who can make sure the immediate relatives of victims of sea tragedies are paid within days of filing their claims.
Suazo said he felt sorry for the families of victims of previous sea disasters who remained unpaid because of unscrupulous insurance agents or companies.
“We are fed up with this problem,” Suazo said. (EPB/LCR/EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 27, 2008 issue)
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