The Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) on Thursday questioned the port captain of Sulpicio Lines regarding the stability of the M/V Princess of the Stars when it set sail last June 20 after it was discovered that some of the ship's ballasts were empty.
Based on the stability report of the M/V Princess of the Stars before it sailed, the ballast tanks of the ship were not filled to its capacity.
A ballast refers to tanks at the ship's bottom that is filled with water to make a ship stable.
When a member of the BMI asked Capt. Benjamin Eugenio, Sulpicio Lines's port captain in Manila, why two of the ballasts empty and had no water, he said: "Some have to be empty to accomodate cargo."
BMI member Commodore Amado Romillo said ballasts with insufficient water can pose danger to the passengers. He criticized Sulpicio Lines' port captain for giving priority to cargo at the expense of the ship's seaworthiness.
"You sacrificed stability for cargo...Therefore you are sacrificing the lives of the passengers," Romillo said.
A ship with unfilled ballasts may find it hard to stabilize if slammed with strong winds.
In the BMI hearing last June 30, an apprentice engineer of the ship, who survived the ship's sinking, said the ship's captain had asked that the ballasts be filled with water while it was being battered by the typhoon.
But Eugenio could not confirm this.
Sulpicio Lines lawyer Arthur Lim asked the board to inspect the ship's ballast after it is refloated to verify the integrity of the ballasts.
Lim also asked board members to refrain from making tentative opinions or prejudgments to spare his client from further prejudice.
The BMI assured Lim that the board remains fair and independent and that it will be objective in its deliberations.
Sulpicio: We did not receive '07 memo
The BMI also criticized Sulpicio Lines’ alleged inability to acquire Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Memorandum Circular of 2007, which provides guidelines on movement of vessels during bad weather.
Eugenio told the board that he is not aware of the new circular.
The BMI, however, said that it is important for them to have a copy of the circular so they will know whether they will set sail or not given a prevailing weather disturbance.
Lim also claimed that Sulpicio Lines has copies of the circular of 1996 and 1998, but not the 2007 circular because PCG has not disseminated the document.
BMI chairman Rear Adm. Ramon Liwag challenged Sulpicio's claim, saying the Coast Guard has disseminated the 2007 circular. A PCG official will be testifying that the agency has sent this document to shipping companies.
Memorandum Circular of 2007 says that when public storm warning signal number 1 is raised, it is the discretion of the captain to sail, provided that the ship he or she is commanding has no cargo or passengers on board.
Eugenio also said that he has no idea why Marimon took the original route when their plan is to take west of Tablas Island.
"I have no idea," he repeated twice.
'Not a national emergency'
Meanwhile, Ma. Victoria Lim Florido, also a lawyer for Sulpicio Lines, answered the rumors on the possible government takeover of the shipping company.
"It may only happen if the President declares a national emergency... We should consider Constitutional parameters," Florido said.
"I don’t think that this (incident) is a national emergency," she added.
The lawyer also said that they have constant communication with the local government of Romblon to address the problem on the alleged loss of livelihood of the locals due to the sinking of the ferry.
Florido also said that it will take months before the ship will be refloated. With reports from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News, and Lilita Balane, abs-cbnNEWS.com