Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. has filed a resolution calling for a congressional investigation into the July 27 capsizing of MB Aya Express in Laguna Lake which left 27 passengers dead and six others missing.
Under House Resolution No. 1159, he urged the appropriate House committee to investigate in aid of legislation, the Philippine Coast Guard PCG), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Department of the Interior and Local Government, as well as the local government units of Binangonan, Rizal and other related agencies to look into their response to typhoon “Egay” and determine the “much-needed reforms in the prevention and response to natural disasters that have negative impacts to millions of Filipinos.”
MB Aya Express sank off Barangay Kalinawan, Binangonan, Rizal, a part of Laguna Lake.
Barzaga said the inquiry would focus on finding out if there was negligence on the part of the PCG since the boat obviously sank because of overloading.
“Survivors also said that the boat carried heavy cargo, such as motorcycles and sacks of sand and rice. Clearly, there was overloading considering that the manifest stated that there were only 22 passengers and three crew members. Moreover, even Binangonan, Rizal Mayor Cesar Ynares stated that MB Aya Express was warned not to overload, but the warning was ignored,” he stressed.
He said it was “imperative that there should also be a multi-agency investigation, including the NDRRMC, to assess and work out solutions to the Philippines’ preparedness and response to natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions that regularly beset the country.”
