Manila: The long running campaign to seek justice by families of the victims of the Princess of the Stars, which sank eight years ago, continues. A number of families filed a 30-page motion to the Supreme Court yesterday demanding it revises its verdict to absolve the vessel’s owner of criminal liability.
The families maintain the owner, Edgar Go, knew the roro ship was heading into a typhoon and should have got the Master to change route. The ship capsized, claiming 800 lives in one of the worst ever peacetime maritime tragedies. Go headed up Sulpicio Lines, which changed its name to Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corp in the wake of the tragedy.
“To exonerate the owners of the said vessel, like respondent Go, from liability for bringing the ship to a place where no one can survive, except perhaps by luck, under the guise of the Master’s ‘overriding authority,’ is contrary to established jurisprudence mandating extraordinary diligence of common carriers,” the public prosecutor said yesterday. [12/08/14]
