The Department of Justice is looking at a possible conspiracy in the recent accidents involving three oil tankers all within a week of the passage of super typhoon “Carina” as a DoJ official listed some questionable circumstances that led to the oil spill on Manila Bay.

The three mishaps — the sinking of the MT Terra Nova off Limay and the MTKR Jason Bradley off Mariveles, and the grounding of the MV Mirola 1 also off Mariveles, all in Bataan — involved ships carrying toxic industrial fuel oil.

In a forum in Quezon City, Justice Undersecretary Raul Vazquez said the DoJ on Friday conducted a fact-finding on the incidents.

“We have already instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct a parallel investigation since we believe that a deeper reason exists for what happened. Why were the vessels allowed to sail? There were several questions raised but I don’t want to speculate since the fact-finding is ongoing,” Vazquez said.

“Maybe it’s a conspiracy, maybe… who knows?” he added.

It unusual

The Philippine Coast Guard earlier maintained the sailing of the Terra Nova was not unusual as there was no storm signal yet when it left port in the early morning of 25 July.

PCG spokesperson Coast Guard Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said that based on an investigation, there was no storm warning signal raised over Bataan when the Terra Nova departed from Limay carrying 1.4-million liters of industrial fuel oil.

“Hence, it did not violate any rules and regulations pertinent to the movement of vessels during heavy weather,” Balilo said, reacting to the DoJ’s statement.

Red flags

Vazquez said the DoJ has yet to conclude its probe, although there were many red flags raised about the incidents.

“These incidents all happened in Bataan in one week. We will know the interconnection as the incidents happened within three to five nautical miles from each other. We can draw a lot of conclusions from there,” he said.

“But, under the presumption of innocence, we cannot make any conclusions at this point,” he noted.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said any significant findings after the probe will be used to indict the owners of the three vessels.

“We are not talking about an accident here, we are talking about a crime committed against our people and our environment. We believe all three are interconnected, the first two vessels specially. We will not spare anybody and I think the people of Cavite deserve that,” Remulla said.

Pressed to explain what Remulla meant when he said the vessels involved in the incident were interconnected, Vasquez said, “That’s the red flag I’ve been talking about, they were all near each other.”

He said there were a lot questions but he refused to divulge details.

Vasquez said the “admissions” from the crew of the vessels involved were also useful in the probe.

“When we asked… they said they’ve been out at sea for quite some time already and yet the ships had not moved that much,” Vasquez said.

On the question of whether the sinking was intentional, Vasquez responded, “In all investigations, we always look at the possibility that it was intentional because the liabilities are heavier.”

He said that even if it “wasn’t intentional, criminal liability is still possible.

Owners named

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) identified the owner of the Jason Bradley as Boom Oil Resources Crude Petroleum Oil Extraction, while the MV Mirola 1 is owned by Virgilio Rotori Jr.

The Terra Nova, which caused the first oil spill and sheen that reached neighboring provinces and cities, is owned by Shogun Ships Co. Inc.

Philippine Ports Authority general manager Jay Daniel Santiago revealed the Jason Bradley and the Mirola 1 did not secure any transaction and clearance permits from the PPA, unlike the Terra Nova.

Santiago said the PPA did not receive any signals from the Mirola 1, or even manual submissions from the ship management after the vessel’s tracking and monitoring system (VTMS) was inspected, which all ships must comply with.

PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan confirmed that the charterer of the 1.4-million liters of IFO carried by the Terra Nova was SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation.

With this, Gerry Arances, executive director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) again lambasted San Miguel Corporation for its “legacy of harm that continues with its role in yet another oil spill with the sinking of the Terra Nova.”

Class suit mulled

A class suit against the owners of the three vessels responsible for spilled oil off Manila Bay, particularly Bataan, is being studied by three government agencies.

Bataan Governor Joet Garcia said the province’s lawyers may sue the owners of the three vessels, while Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos supported the filing of a class suit.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire visited Limay town where the Terra Nova sank to give residents updates about the health situation from the oil spill.

In a press briefing, Vergeire discussed the steps being undertaken by the Department of Health to ensure the health and safety of the community.

Quoting Vergeire, Garcia said the DoH has also undertaken groundwater testing to ensure health safety.

Vergeire said there is a toxicology center at Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center that is ready to conduct tests if there are individuals who were affected by the oil spill, adding that BGHMC personnel are ready to provide medicines if necessary.