The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), through its Maritime Safety Services Command (MSSC), is still investigating the incident involving the MV Sta. Monica A1, which went missing after departing from Taytay Port on October 22.
Coast Guard District Palawan (CGDPal) District Commander Commodore Dennis Rhem Labay said that the MV Sta. Monica A1 was granted clearance by the Coast Guard Substation in Taytay to sail only to Casian Island to seek shelter due to a weather disturbance from Typhoon Kristine.
Labay stated that, based on a pre-departure inspection conducted by the coast guard substation, the vessel was not allowed to sail to Manila because the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) had already raised wind signal number 1 there.
He explained that what the MSSC is conducting is a maritime casualty investigation.
“Ang term na casualty ay hindi dahil mayroong nasawi pero ito ay isang termino lamang. Parang isang maritime incident investigation,” Labay said during the question hour conducted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday, November 12.
After sailing to Casian, the vessel reportedly continued its journey. The owner lost contact with the vessel and reported it to the PCG on October 27.
The PCG then launched a search and rescue operation and found debris, including life vests, life rings suspected to be from the vessel, and dead carabaos floating in the vicinity of Paluan, Occidental Mindoro.
Labay further emphasized that while clearance to sail comes from the coast guard, the responsibility for a vessel’s safety primarily lies with its owner and the captain, as the highest authority on board.
“It is expressly understood that the safety and security of the vessel is the responsibility of the captain and the shipowner. Ganun po ang nangyari doon. Wala po kasing isang matinong marino na tutuloy sa byahe na alam mo may bagyo. Even yung mga barko ng coast guard during those kinds of weather ay nagtatago ang mga barko,” Labay explained.
“Sinabihan ni coast guard ang barko to take shelter, now understood na mag-take shelter lang siya dapat. [And] ang best way to shelter a ship ay i-anchor palayo sa bagyo,” he added.
Meanwhile, Labay also stated that the coast guard shifted its operation from search and rescue to search and retrieval on November 4.
“In fact, yung barko na pinadala namin na-divert din siya dahil sa relief operation sa Bicol at Batanes. Ang atin na lang eroplano ang naka-conduct ng aerial search sa lugar supposedly kung saan siya nawala,” he stated, adding that after 20 days, they will also terminate the search and retrieval operation.
“And the following efforts nalang siguro sir is through our units doon sa mga coastal areas via reports na matanggap nila sa mga passing ng mga barko or sa mga mangingisda,” he noted.
