Post by Forum Moderator / Kaskasero on Jul 2, 2008 9:06:27 GMT 8
Sulpicio sues weathermen over ‘Princess’
By : TJ Agcaoili, J. Mayuga and C. Jimenez | Business Mirror
1 July 2008 | 9:35 AM
Blaming the alleged inaccurate weather bulletin and tropical cyclone warnings issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) at the height of Typhoon Frank, Sulpicio Lines Inc. filed Monday afternoon a civil case before the Regional Trial Court in Manila for alleged damage done to the shipping company.
Sulpicio Lines filed charges against Pagasa, its director Prisco Nilo and weather services chief Nathaniel Cruz.
The accident-prone company asked the court to make the respondents pay P4.5 million in damages.
Sulpicio Lines senior vice president Edgar Go filed the case in behalf of himself and members of his family who own and operate the shipping corporation.
The suit claimed that M/V Princess of the Stars left the Port of Manila on June 20 bound for Cebu on a regular voyage. It carried both passengers and cargo “within authorized limits as it was reportedly inspected and cleared for departure by the Coast Guard.”
At the time of the departure, Capt. Florencio Marimon Sr., Princess of the Star’s master, allegedly relied on the Pagasa report issued at 4:45 p.m. which announced bad weather in various places, but only placed Manila under Typhoon Signal 1.
Despite the stormy weather in various parts of the country, the vessel was allegedly cleared to leave because the ferry was the biggest in the country at 23,824.17 gross tons and could cruise at an average speed of 20 knots. The complaint asserted that the ship, if needed, could seek shelter in various areas along her preplotted route to Cebu.
At 11 p.m., while the vessel was reportedly still in the Corregidor area, Pagasa issued Weather Bulletin 9 which said that the typhoon will move northwest at 19 kilometers per hour. With that report, the vessel proceeded on her course as the forecast position of the typhoon would put the vessel at a parallel distance of around 160 kilometers from each other.
However, the typhoon did not move northwest as forecast, but turned westward.
Instead of going up to the Luzon area and safely passing the vessel at a parallel distance of around 160 kilometers, it went across south of Masbate in a westward direction, where the vessel was headed.
The next weather bulletin was issued at 5 a.m. of June 21, which said that the typhoon has moved west for the past six hours and was in the vicinity of Panay and Mindoro.
Sulpicio said that if the westward movement occurred only after 11 p.m. of June 20 (counting six hours backwards from 5 a.m. of June 21), Pagasa could still have issued a supplemental broadcast advising ships at sea. “Had this been done, the vessel, which was then in the Romblon area, could have sought shelter there.”
“Defendants should have coordinated with the Coast Guard or advised the latter of the significant change in Frank’s direction, so that the Coast Guard could have warned ships at sea of the correct and actual position and movement of the typhoon,” Sulpicio lines said.
The shipping company asked the court to make Pagasa pay P2.5 million by way of moral damages, P1 million for “loss of goodwill,” P500,000 for exemplary damages, P150,000 for attorney’s fees and litigation expenses and P500,000 for moral damages allegedly done to Go.
Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro said the science and technology department as well as Pagasa have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, Manila archbishop, meanwhile assailed the management of Sulpicio Lines, saying that the recent sea tragedy was an “act of a stupid person.”
“Of course rain, earthquake, typhoons are much definitely an act of God. But sailing right into the eye of the storm is not an act of God. It’s an act of a stupid person,” Rosales said after saying Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Monday.
The cardinal, known for being occasionally reserved on social issues, gave an unsolicited advice to the company: “Maybe they should not be in this kind of business.”
After experiencing major sea disasters in the past, Rosales said Sulpicio Lines should think of venturing into another business since it cannot claim innocence for every shipwreck under its management.
“If it’s true that the shipping line had been involved in at least three major sea disasters in the past, I think they should really address it [problem].
The owners cannot always say that accidents happen. They should be careful,” said Rosales.
He was referring to three Sulpicio passenger ships that sank while on sea including MV Doña Paz, where about 4,000 people were killed in 1987, the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster
By : TJ Agcaoili, J. Mayuga and C. Jimenez | Business Mirror
1 July 2008 | 9:35 AM
Blaming the alleged inaccurate weather bulletin and tropical cyclone warnings issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) at the height of Typhoon Frank, Sulpicio Lines Inc. filed Monday afternoon a civil case before the Regional Trial Court in Manila for alleged damage done to the shipping company.
Sulpicio Lines filed charges against Pagasa, its director Prisco Nilo and weather services chief Nathaniel Cruz.
The accident-prone company asked the court to make the respondents pay P4.5 million in damages.
Sulpicio Lines senior vice president Edgar Go filed the case in behalf of himself and members of his family who own and operate the shipping corporation.
The suit claimed that M/V Princess of the Stars left the Port of Manila on June 20 bound for Cebu on a regular voyage. It carried both passengers and cargo “within authorized limits as it was reportedly inspected and cleared for departure by the Coast Guard.”
At the time of the departure, Capt. Florencio Marimon Sr., Princess of the Star’s master, allegedly relied on the Pagasa report issued at 4:45 p.m. which announced bad weather in various places, but only placed Manila under Typhoon Signal 1.
Despite the stormy weather in various parts of the country, the vessel was allegedly cleared to leave because the ferry was the biggest in the country at 23,824.17 gross tons and could cruise at an average speed of 20 knots. The complaint asserted that the ship, if needed, could seek shelter in various areas along her preplotted route to Cebu.
At 11 p.m., while the vessel was reportedly still in the Corregidor area, Pagasa issued Weather Bulletin 9 which said that the typhoon will move northwest at 19 kilometers per hour. With that report, the vessel proceeded on her course as the forecast position of the typhoon would put the vessel at a parallel distance of around 160 kilometers from each other.
However, the typhoon did not move northwest as forecast, but turned westward.
Instead of going up to the Luzon area and safely passing the vessel at a parallel distance of around 160 kilometers, it went across south of Masbate in a westward direction, where the vessel was headed.
The next weather bulletin was issued at 5 a.m. of June 21, which said that the typhoon has moved west for the past six hours and was in the vicinity of Panay and Mindoro.
Sulpicio said that if the westward movement occurred only after 11 p.m. of June 20 (counting six hours backwards from 5 a.m. of June 21), Pagasa could still have issued a supplemental broadcast advising ships at sea. “Had this been done, the vessel, which was then in the Romblon area, could have sought shelter there.”
“Defendants should have coordinated with the Coast Guard or advised the latter of the significant change in Frank’s direction, so that the Coast Guard could have warned ships at sea of the correct and actual position and movement of the typhoon,” Sulpicio lines said.
The shipping company asked the court to make Pagasa pay P2.5 million by way of moral damages, P1 million for “loss of goodwill,” P500,000 for exemplary damages, P150,000 for attorney’s fees and litigation expenses and P500,000 for moral damages allegedly done to Go.
Science Secretary Estrella Alabastro said the science and technology department as well as Pagasa have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, Manila archbishop, meanwhile assailed the management of Sulpicio Lines, saying that the recent sea tragedy was an “act of a stupid person.”
“Of course rain, earthquake, typhoons are much definitely an act of God. But sailing right into the eye of the storm is not an act of God. It’s an act of a stupid person,” Rosales said after saying Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Monday.
The cardinal, known for being occasionally reserved on social issues, gave an unsolicited advice to the company: “Maybe they should not be in this kind of business.”
After experiencing major sea disasters in the past, Rosales said Sulpicio Lines should think of venturing into another business since it cannot claim innocence for every shipwreck under its management.
“If it’s true that the shipping line had been involved in at least three major sea disasters in the past, I think they should really address it [problem].
The owners cannot always say that accidents happen. They should be careful,” said Rosales.
He was referring to three Sulpicio passenger ships that sank while on sea including MV Doña Paz, where about 4,000 people were killed in 1987, the world’s worst peacetime maritime disaster