The legal office of 2GO Group Inc. is asking the Municipality of Cordova to direct the town’s compensation claim to the company of MV Sulpicio Express Siete, whom they insist was at fault for the August 16, 2013 collision of ships.
In a letter received by Mayor Adelino Sitoy’s office yesterday, the 2GO Group, represented by lawyers Saben Loyola and Josep Rebano, said that the company should not be held responsible for Cordova’s resultant loss of income from the oil spill caused by the ships’ collision.
“In view of our client’s active, responsible and costly response to deal with the effects of the collision… (2GO) is naturally disappointed that the claim has been directed in part to them,” the law office Del Rosario & Del Rosario wrote to the mayor in behalf of the shipping company.
It added that any impact that the sinking may have had on Cordova was caused “entirely” by those responsible for Sulpicio, which has taken “no action whatsoever” to minimize the effects or do remedial measures.
“The inactivity on Sulpicio Express Siete’s part is in direct contrast to our client’s actions as a responsible corporate citizen. Our client has undertaken many effective and substantial measures to mitigate any impact of the sinking,” the letter read.
They cited the steps they have taken after the sinking of their ship, including contracting other companies to remove the fuel, tapping another company to undertake shoreline cleanup operations, and getting the advice of experts in dealing with environmental aspects.
“Despite the fact that the collision was not caused by any fault on our client’s part, our client has taken extensive, costly, appropriate and organized action to control and minimize the impact of the oil spill (which was the result of the negligence of those manning Sulpicio,” the lawyers wrote.
Last February 11, the municipal government of Cordova wrote to the 2GO shipping company asking for compensation for the damage caused by the oil spill after the collision of two ships off Lauis Ledge.
The incident had left over a hundred either missing or dead.
RELATED STORY:
DENR says damage cost in oil spill may go higher