Philippine weather agency sued by ferry owner

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(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-01 14:02

MANILA -- A shipping company has filed a suit against the Philippines' weather agency, blaming it for inaccurate weather forecast of typhoon Fengshen allegedly leading to a ferry' s capsizal with 862 people on board, media reports said on Tuesday.

Philippine rescuers, left, approach the sunken passenger ferry, the MV Princess of the Stars, to conduct a search and rescue operation off the Sibuyan Sea in central Philippines on Wednesday, June 25, 2008. Only four dozen survivors were found so far and more than 800 passengers and crew remained missing more than four days after Typhoon Fengshen overturned the seven-story ferry. [Agencies]

Sulpicio Lines Inc., owner of the M/V Princess of the Stars that capsized off the Philippines' central province of Romblon, filed on Monday a 4.4-million-peso (US$98,200) damage suit against the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the Philippine Star reported.

There were 751 passengers and 111 crew members on board when the tragedy happened on June 21, according to an earlier statement by the company. As of now, no more than 60 survivors have been confirmed rescued. More than 140 bodies have been recovered while hundreds remain missing.

Lawyers of the company, represented by its first vice president Edgar Go, filed the civil suit at the Manila Regional Trial Court against the weather bureau and two of the agency's officials, Pagasa director Prisco Nilo and Nathaniel Cruz, weather services chief.

Sulpicio Lines lawyer Arthur Lim said Pagasa should admit it erred and issue a public apology.

"They should say that they made a mistake and if possible, they should make a public apology because they are responsible for the tragedy. We could present their weather bulletins and prove that their bulletins caused our ship to collide with the typhoon," Lim said.

Sulpicio Lines said Pagasa had reported that the typhoon was supposed to hover over the Bicol region but the typhoon suddenly changed course and hit Romblon and nearby provinces.

The company said defendant Pagasa is the country's weather forecaster, upon whose competence, efficiency and fealty to duty rest the safety of the people's lives and properties during bad weather, especially those in the shipping sector who have to rely on the agency's weather bulletins and tropical cyclone warnings to assure the safety of life and property at sea.

Pagasa said the damage suit filed by Sulpicio does not bother the agency.

Nilo said the weather bureau is ready to face Sulpicio Lines in court.

Earlier, Philippine Department of Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul said Pagasa had issued ample warnings about typhoon Frank. Pagasa is under the department.

Yumul said that Pagasa, as a protocol, submits its warning bulletins to the National Disaster Coordinating Council and the Philippine Coast Guard and the two agencies later disseminate the weather forecast to concerned sectors.

Pagasa also maintains "voice services" through which the public can get regular bulletins by dialing telephone number 433. The bureau also posts regular weather bulletins on its website when there is a typhoon.