Span Asia won’t pay, insists ship not at fault in oil spill

Cordova fisherfolk are still feeling the brunt of the oil spill damage that deprived them of their livelihood months ago. (CDN File Photo)

The Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corp. (PSACC) said they will not pay the P126.8-million demanded by the Cordova municipal government as compensation for the damage caused by the oil spill on the town’s mangroves and coastline.

PSACC lawyer Jaime Vibar said the oil that leaked into the sea did not come from their vessel, M/V Sulpicio Express Siete.

He said the Cordova municipal government should instead hold the 2GO Group Inc. accountable. He said the crude and bunker oil leaked from 2GO’s vessel, M/V St. Thomas Aquinas.

The 2Go Group said they prefer to meet with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy before issuing an official response.

Boy Mundo, general manager of 2GO Group in Cebu said they have yet to receive the demand letter sent by the mayor last week.

Cleanup efforts

“We believe it would be prudent and proper to wait for the mayor’s letter before crafting our official response,” he said.

“We likewise prefer to meet Mayor Sitoy first and learn first hand why 2GO is being treated on the same level as the party responsible for the collision and had not been quite active in the oil spill cleanup efforts,” Mundo said.

2GO owns the M/V St. Thomas Aquinas which capsized off the Lauis Ledge in Talisay City while Span Asia owns the M/V Sulpicio Express Siete which collided with the ferry. PSACC said Sulpicio Express Siete is “completely free from fault or responsibility from the collision as it was navigating in the outbound lane and observed all sound rules of navigation.” Instead, the firm said the collision was caused by the “faulty and negligent navigation of the rules” by the M/V St.Thomas Aquinas

Last week, Sitoy sent demand letters to the corporate heads of 2GO, Span Asia Corp and Pioneer and gave the three firms 30 days to comply or they take their case to court.