Owners of sunken MV Baleno 9 face Marina, vow aid to victims

A week after the sinking of MV Baleno 9, the owners of the ill-fated inter-island vessel finally ended their silence and appeared before the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) on Monday. But Marina officials barred the press from covering their meeting with Pedro and Patrick Ang of Besta Shipping Lines, said a report aired over GMA News' “24 Oras." According to Marina administrator Maria Elena Bautista, the owners vowed to provide the victims’ families with financial assistance amounting to P200,000 each. Besta Shipping Lines likewise promised to shoulder the burial expenses of those who died in the sea tragedy. The problem, however, is that Besta could not identify all of the vessel's real passengers because the trip manifest was in disarray, the report said. "Hindi pa rin masiguro kung ano yun tamang manifesto. So sinabihan ko yung Besta (We still can’t ascertain which is the correct manifest. So I asked Besta) to make extra effort to address the concern of the 43 families," Bautista said.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV MV Baleno 9 – a second-hand roll-on, roll-off (RORO) vessel serving the Oriental Mindoro and Batangas routes – sank off Verde Island in Batangas province last December 26. At least six people have been confirmed dead, while 44 others remained missing. On Sunday, Philippine Coast Guard chief Wilfredo Tamayo gave Coast Guard teams up to 10 days to finish the search, rescue and retrieval operations for victims of the inter-island vessel. – Aie Balagtas See/JV, GMANews.TV