THE ship captain of the MV Lite Ferry 20, which collided with a motor banca off the seawaters of Tubigon town in Bohol province last November 1, has submitted a marine protest.
Seaman 2nd Class Officer Alberto Almoradie of the Philippine Coast Guard Tubigon said the ship captain of MV Lite Ferry 20 had already submitted the marine protest, but he did it in Cebu.
Almoradie said they were still waiting for a copy of the marine protest.
A 26-year-old mother, Editha Abellana, of Bagong Banwa Island, Tubigon, Bohol province died in the collision between MV Lite Ferry 20 and Motor Banca Carmel last November 1.
Almoradie, however, said that MBC Judith, the motor banca involved in the accident, was the one at fault.
He said that this is because pump boats or motor bancas are not allowed to travel during nighttime and only allowed to sail during daytime.
“The motor banca is at fault, because they are prohibited to travel during nighttime,” Almoradie said.
He said that the ship captain might not have seen the motor banca because it did not have any lights at all.
Despite this, he said, the management of Lite Shipping Corp., the owner of MV Lite Ferry 20, had already settled matters with the family of the victims.
CDN tried to get the comment of Lite Shipping Corp., but they refuse to comment on the issue.
According to the PCG Tubigon investigation, the MBC Judith was towed by another motor banca, MBC Carmel, from Mocaboc Island on its way to Bagong Banwa Island.
The passengers visited Mocaboc Island to pay respects to their departed family members as part of the celebration of the All Saints’ and Souls’ Days.
The MBC Carmel, however, stopped at sea after it ran out of fuel.
So the two motor bancas stopped at the channel, which was part of the route for commercial vessels in the area.
At 8 p.m., the MV Lite Ferry 20 collided with MBC Judith.
Cherry Malaque, MV Lite Ferry passenger, said the vessel’s crew immediately conducted a rescue operation and rescued 14 people including a 9-month-old baby.
Malaque added that they’ve waited for the Philippine Coast Guard to conduct search and rescue operations during the incident in the area after they’ve made contact with them.
The MV Lite Ferry 20 captain, however, decided to proceed to Cebu after no rescue team arrived in the area.
“When we’ve arrived at pier 1, in Cebu City at around 2 a.m. in November 2, it’s where the rescue team and coast guard personnel are waiting for us to arrive,” she added.
The injured victims were brought to Visayas Community Medical Center (VCMC), and the Lite Shipping Corp. management promised to shoulder all their expenses.
Almoradie said that the body of Abellana was retrieved at 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 2 off the seawaters of Cuaming Island in Tubigon, Bohol.
The body was brought to the Holy Name Funeral Homes in Loon, Bohol.