Pedestrian Observer GB: Princess of the Stars Tragedy & Sulpicio Lines’ Cruel Lawsuit Jokes

The “famous” lie errr line form Sulpicio Lines’ read by their lieyer errr lawyer Arthur Lim during a hearing quoting a “marine protest” of the shipping company’s Manila Port Capt. Benjamin E ugenio’s report, filed with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) during a hearing is one for the book of the absurd:

I am taking the initiative of filing this marine protest to report the unfortunate tragedy that befell MV Princess of the Stars and to publicly and solemnly protest against the wind and waves and the fortuitous event or act of God, particularly Typhoon ‘Frank,’ that was the cause of the frustration of the voyage and the loss of our good ship.

What a load of crap, this is the most outrageous incorrigible statements I have ever seen. Yeah right blame the wind and the wave and the wrath of god when they went ahead and sailed going right smack the typhoon is just incredulous as it gets.

Sulpicio Lines’ people are hell vent on a pointing a blaming finger on everyone else in order to weasel themselves out of responsibility and accountability would have been a good comical script under a different circumstance.

The TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) to stop BMI (Bureau of Marine Investigation) form investigating was dismissed by the Court of Appeals and Sulpicio Lines’ legal offensive to weasel themselves out of trouble is sinking fast like their ships. A backlash hopefully of their own making and hopefully retribution and justice for the all their victims is just around the corner.

This came after Sulpicio Lines’ senior vice president Edgar Go accused BMI of being biased against the shipping company, to quote Inquirer:

Go said the BMI hearings have caused major “damage” to the reputation of the shipping line, which has been “ridiculed by the general public” due to “inaccurate accusations.”

“The pre-judgment has continued to cause suspicion,” Go said.

What damage is this numb nut errr person talking about? Thousands of people perished drowned and missing since the M/V Doña Paz to the latest M/V Princess of the Stars tragedy and he talks of “damage to their reputation?” The number of dead and missing passengers and crew speaks volume and he is worried about reputation, talk about delusional people so full of themselves.

They blame the weather bureau for the inaccuracy of their forecast and the Coast Guard supposedly plotting their destination using outdated circular only shows they have no clue what due diligence is all about and still Edgar Go yaps about their reputation. Why even a simple fisherman with a banca (small boat) knows enough not to go straight to a typhoon path and there they are blaming others for their decision to sail into the eye of the storm. It is has been a fact of life that corruption is endemic in the nation and despite the fact that hundreds of millions of pesos was released to the weather bureau they still have no equipment to show for it, so why rely on them? Not that the weather bureau and the ill-equipped coast guard should not be held responsible for the tragedy but at the end of the day it is still Sulpicio Lines that went on and sailed straight to the eye of the storm.

It seems that even the complaint they lodge against Del Monte for not “disclosing” the toxic material will sink with them judging from earlier reports based on documentations from Israel to the signs on the container that indicates it is a toxic cargo. Well, how dumb can they get that they have to be told what is being shipped when documentations are right smack their eyes to read, or do they even know how to read? If the shipment came from Israel the cargo would not have made it to Manila without the proper documentation, disclosure and labels regarding the toxicity of the cargo. Talk about reputation, well one thing is clear and at the rate they lodge complaint blaming others they are really having a bad reputation. Well, you know what happens when someone points an accusatory finger at someone else……. three fingers point right back to the accuser.

I dare pre-judge what will happen here, that is if the court system will not be bought that all these lawsuits filed by Sulpicio Lines will be dismissed and that is where it should be. What we need to see right now is to hold all those responsible for criminal and civil liability. Instead of just raising funds like a knight in shining white armor atop an immaculate white carabao (water buffalo) for relief aid to the poor typhoon victims how about raising funds also for legal battles to bring those responsible to court?
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For inquiries on the status of passengers Sulpicio Lines has uploaded the passenger manifest, updated list of survivors and crew list, send inquiries via email at sulpicio@sulpiciolines.com or call their Manila Hot line at (02) 242-4258, (02) 474-5205 (02) Cebu (032) 5162728 Mobile 09174228344, 09174228339

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