Owner of sunk vessel OK to pay those affected by Bataan oil spill

The owner of the tanker MT Terra Nova and its insurer, along with the IOPC Funds, have agreed to compensate those affected by the oil spill from the vessel’s sinking off Bataan, a Department of Justice (DOJ) official said.

DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez confirmed the development during a news forum, noting that the parties involved have already committed to taking responsibility.

“We used the Mindoro oil spill as a template, and the good news is that the owner of Terra Nova, its insurer, and the IOPC immediately stepped forward,” Vasquez said.

Local officials have identified potential claimants for compensation, including 21 inhabitants of Bataan and approximately 31,000 residents of Cavite, Vasquez added.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has formed an inter-agency task force to address the possible impacts of the oil spill. 

The task force is led by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and includes the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

In a related development, the DOJ is continuing its investigation into another tanker, the Jason Bradley, which also sank off the coast of Bataan shortly after the MT Terra Nova. Vasquez said the owner of the Jason Bradley is facing an oil smuggling case.

Authorities have linked the vessel to previous illegal fuel operations and are currently investigating the circumstances of its sinking. The tanker went down just 600 yards from Mariveles port, raising red flags, according to Vasquez.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), PCG, and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) are handling the investigation.

In a separate development, Vasquez said that criminal charges will be filed against those involved in the Mindoro oil spill after motor tanker Princess Empress sank off Naujan Oriental Mindoro. 

Vasquez said that administrative charges will also be pursued against implicated government personnel.

The Ombudsman has also charged government officials who issued licenses allowing Princess Empress to sail.

Vasquez noted that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has dismissed MARINA officials involved in the incident. Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista confirmed that Region IV Director Jaime Bea and Engr. Jose B. Buban were dismissed for grave misconduct and neglect.