The Senate committee on environment, natural resources, and climate change on Wednesday subpoenaed the owners of MTKR Jason Bradley and MV Mirola 1, which were involved in the recent oil spill in Bataan.
In a public hearing, committee chairperson Senator Cynthia Villar asked for the issuance of the subpoena against the ship owners over their failure to appear in the Senate.
“In view of the absence of Mr. Rominick Ponesta, ship owner of MTKR Jason Bradley, and Ms. Mary Jane Obaldo, ship owner of MV Mirola 1, despite being notified of today’s hearing, I move that subpoena be issued to the aforementioned persons,” said Villar.
Senate Majority Floor Leader Francis Tolentino supported the motion.
“It has been moved and seconded that we will issue subpoena to owners of Jason Bradley and Mirola 1,” Villar said.
In the hearing, Villar and Tolentino confronted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) pending the results of their investigation of the sunken oil tanker MT Terra Nova in Limay, Bataan and two other oil tankers, which ran aground in the same province.
Villar quizzed PCG commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan on the report that before Terra Nova sunk on July 25, two ships were being pulled while transferring to another ship.
Tolentino said the PCG should have visuals, especially since Galvan said they have a ship sailing there that enabled them to immediately respond within 35 minutes during a distress call. Gavan noted this comment and said their report is ongoing.
Villar called them out for the delay in the preparation of the report since it’s now the middle of August. She said they are learning of developments through press releases and not receiving updates directly from PCG.
MARINA Administrator Sonia Malaluan also reported that their investigation is still ongoing.
