Probe eyed on Guimaras spill reparation mess

MANILA, Philippines - A congressional investigation looms on alleged government inaction over insufficient reparation for victims of a massive oil spill in Guimaras in 2006. Online news site The News Today (www.thenewstoday.info) reported that House Resolution 830 filed last Oct. 8 seeks a probe into the payments by an international insurance firm. Filing the resolution were party list Reps. Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna, Luzviminda Ilagan and Liza Maza of Gabriela, and Rafael Mariano of Anakpawis. In their resolution, the lawmakers said thousands of residents of Guimaras were dislocated after the M/T Solar I sank off the coast of Guimaras on Aug. 11, 2006. The ship spilled 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel it was carrying for Petron Corp. The oil spill also contaminated marine resources and affected the livelihood of residents on the island and in nearby Iloilo province who were mostly dependent on fishing. Last year, scientists reported a 65-percent drop in fish catch after the oil spill and hundreds of mangrove trees have died. The party-list lawmakers also cited a report of a Special Board of Marine Inquiry (SBMI) to investigate the oil spill which stated that Petron Corp., which chartered the vessel, and the Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. (SMDC), the tanker's owner, had overloaded the M/T Solar 1 when the tanker sailed into the middle of a storm. Petron has repeatedly denied culpability in the incident saying it only chartered the vessel to transport is bunker fuel. London-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF), which indemnifies victims of oil spills, had paid compensation for damages to victims, including fishermen, shell gatherers, boat owners and operators of resorts. The IOPCF paid P908.120 million to 22,437 claimants as compensation for economic losses and refund for expenses in the clean-up and preventive measures in relation to the oil spill, according to the Fund's 2007 annual report. But the IOPCF had rejected nearly 133,000 other claims including 125,480 victims in Guimaras and 7,416 victims in Iloilo. In rejecting the claims, the IOPCF had cited lack of evidence to back up claims and because the claim forms were incomplete and a significant number were from claimants below the age of 18. Guimaras Gov. Felipe Nava earlier said they are still following up the remaining claims for damages and reimbursement of expenses from the IOPCF. But they have not received any response from the insurance firm. The proposed resolution also pointed out that out of the P906.669 million paid by the IOPCF, 80 percent (P725.317 million) was in refunds for clean-up and preventive measures. Only 19 percent (P174.176 million) was spent for the payment of economic losses in the fishery sector and another P2.186 million for losses in the tourism sector. The congressmen said in their resolution that non-government organizations have questioned the IOPCF for allowing Petron Corp. to be reimbursed P118 million for the costs of the clean up when "it (Petron) should have been compelled to compensate the victims and shoulder the clean up and rehabilitation of the Guimaras Strait." - GMANews.TV