Press Release
June 30, 2008

Pia: Sulpicio, Del Monte must share in cost of retrieving toxic cargo

Senator Pia S. Cayetano said Sulpicio Lines and Del Monte Philippines must take the initiative of shouldering the cost of government efforts to safely and immediately retrieve the 10 metric tons of endosulfan inside the capsized vessel MV Princess of the Stars.

"Finger-pointing on who is principally liable won't help. The situation calls for a quick response to retrieve the substance and avert any contamination of the surrounding seawaters and marine life," said Cayetano, who chairs the senate environment committee.

Although Del Monte does not have any direct role in the sinking of the Sulpicio vessel, the lady senator urged the company to exercise "corporate social responsibility" in the interest of protecting the environment.

She said maritime authorities and concerned government agencies including the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) and Bureau of Customs must explain why they allowed a highly toxic substance be loaded on a passenger vessel--apparently in violation of maritime rules.

"We need to find out exactly what regulations are in place and what violations have been committed, including the reported non-declaration of the substance and transport in big quantities on board a passenger ship. We should also look at the corresponding penalties to find out if these are commensurate. Because these are old laws and the penalties are very minimal."

She pointed out that Sulpicio even declares on its website that it meets the requirements of the International Quality Assurance Management Standard ISO 9002 and the International Maritime Organization's ISM Code of 'Safe Operation of Ships and Pollution Prevention.'

"Interestingly, Sulpicio acquired these two international accreditations on June 18, 1999 and July 17, 1999, respectively--or just barely a year since its biggest ship then, the MV Princess of the Orient, sank in the middle of a storm on September 1998."

"It's the height of irony that Sulpicio was the very first local shipping line to be accorded such distinction despite its long and bloody record of sea mishaps, which is unparalleled in the world."

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