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MANILA: Ferry operators in the Philippines need to upgrade their aging fleets, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza said at a news conference to address the issue of the sinking of the Princess of the Stars over the weekend.
Hopes are fading for finding more survivors from the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars as rescue divers come across more bodies floating inside the capsized ferry.
However, the coast guard continues its search despite the rough conditions.
Gilbert Rueras, captain of Philippine Coast Guard, said: "For as long as there's a small hope, there is an indication that persons are still in the waters, we will continue to search."
In San Fernando town, residents recovered many dead bodies that were floating near the shore. Reports said local officials have started to bury the recovered bodies that are already decomposing.
Meanwhile, angry relatives demanded answers from the owners of the capsized ferry.
Levi Diaz, relative of a missing passenger, said: "What we heard is that they will start burying the dead because Sulpicio Lines (ferry's owner) is not co-operating. (It has) not sent formalin, (it has) not sent coffins, so they will just bury the dead.
"We want to be taken to the site so we can look for our dead, if they are dead already. We want to know what Sulpicio Lines intends to do."
Another missing passenger's relative, Jovelyn Caranoo, said: "I will fight for them. I will not rest until they are given justice. That is their (Sulpicio Lines) fault. They knew there was a typhoon and they still pushed through."
"They should be brought to court. They have many boats that sank before. They do not have any conscience," said Cedes Cuenco, another relative.
This is the fourth time that Sulpicio Lines has been involved in a maritime disaster, including the MV Dona Paz tragedy in 1987, which left more than 4,000 people dead, in the world's worst peacetime sea tragedy.
Relatives of the victims said that they are now planning to file a class suit against Sulpicio Lines. Though filing a case against the shipping company will not bring back the lives of their loved ones, they are hoping that it will help prevent a similar tragedy from happening again in the future.
In the past three cases, Sulpicio Lines was cleared of any criminal responsibility. In some cases, relatives of the victims settled out of court even before the decisions of the courts came out. - CNA/ac
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