Sulpicio lines faces estafa charges [The Manila Times, Philippines]

Aug. 09--Owners of the Cebu-based shipping company Sulpicio Lines Inc., operator of the Princess of the Stars, which capsized and sank off Romblon province more than two years ago, may soon face another criminal suit for its alleged failure to indemnify the families of the victims of the sinking. According to Chief Public lawyer Persida Rueda-Acosta, lawyers of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) representing more than 800 victims of the sea tragedy are studying possible filing of estafa charges against officials of Sulpicio Lines.

The Cebu-bound Princess of the Stars was carrying a total of 845 individuals (724 passengers and 121 crew) when it went down off Sibuyan Island in June 2008 after experiencing engine trouble at the height of Typhoon Frank.

It was learned that the shipping company has paid only 40 of the victims' relatives.

According to Acosta, Oriental Assurance Corp., Sulpicio's insurance provider, has paid its obligation to the company but Sulpicio Lines has not given any payment to the victims' families.

"We learned that Sulpicio already received the money from its insurance provider but until now the company has not yet paid its obligation to its victims," she said during an interview.

The families of the victims, Acosta added, are willing to pursue the estafa case against the company.

Sulpicio's Vice President Edgar Go and the Princess of the Stars captain, Florencio Marimon, are facing charges for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide, multiple physical injuries and damage to property before the Branch 5 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila City.

The case is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday.

Aside from the criminal cases, officials of the shipping company are also facing a total of 130 civil cases filed in separate courts in Manila and Cebu City.

Acosta said that a total of 71 civil cases were filed at a Manila court while 58 cases are pending at a Cebu City court.

Sulpicio Lines was also the operator of the M/V Dona Paz that sank after colliding with the MT Vector on December 20, 1987, claiming the lives of more than 4,000 passengers. The incident is considered as the deadliest ferry disaster in history.

The company also owned and operated the M/V Dona Marilyn (1988) and M/V Princess of the Orient (1998) that both sank, also killing hundreds of passengers.

To see more of The Manila Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.manilatimes.net.

Copyright (c) 2010, The Manila Times, Philippines

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544)