KIKO: CREATE SPECIAL COURTS FOR MARITIME CASES

Following the tragic sinking of Sulpicio Line's Princess of the Stars, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan today called for the creation of special courts that will hear maritime cases.

"The Philippine's record of maritime disasters is deplorable, and unscrupulous shipping companies get away from their liabilities because of the slow dispensation of justice. We need to look into creating special courts that will focus on maritime cases to address this problem swiftly," Kiko said.

In the interest of the effective administration of justice and expeditious disposition of cases involving maritime disasters, certain branches of Regional Trial Courts in cities may be specially designated by the Supreme Court to try and decide cases involving maritime accidents such as but not limited to sinking vessels, collisions, allusions and fire, whenever such accidents result in loss of lives, injuries and/or destruction or damage to property," Kiko added.

"The reason why these man-made disasters keep on happening is because the prosecution and convict5ion of erring shipping companies take too long, if they happen at all. We need to expedite these processes if we are to promote vigilance and efficiency in the shipping industry and instill fear for the rule of law. The beginning of the end of these senseless sea tragedies is in punishing the guilty," Kiko ended.