Criminal charges have been filed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) against the captain of the passenger and cargo vessel that caught fire off Coron, Palawan, resulting in 77 fatalities and leaving eight individuals missing.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab announced Monday that a complaint for falsification of public documents was submitted against Captain Roel Sarmiento to the National Prosecution Service under the Department of Justice.
Cayabyab indicated that Sarmiento and the vessel’s owner, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., could face further legal action as inquiries proceed. “We have an ongoing case buildup for other cases that could be filed against the captain and even against the shipping company,” said Cayabyab.
The MV June Aster caught fire on September 9 while traveling to Coron, Palawan, from Baseco, Manila, after departing the previous day.
According to Cayabyab, the charge against Sarmiento centers on irregularities found in the Master’s Declaration of Safe Departure (MDSD) turned over to PCG inspectors prior to the ship leaving port. “The MDSD form includes the passenger manifest, or the actual number of passengers, and other documents used before the departure of the said vessel,” Cayabyab also said.
Investigators uncovered multiple discrepancies within the submitted documentation, including six listed passengers who never boarded the ship. “Secondly, we also found double entries for the name of a passenger during the investigation,” added Cayabyab. “Also, the name of a crew was listed there even though he did not board (the vessel).”
The complaint is currently under review by prosecutors to determine if there is sufficient ground to proceed. “In case the criminal complaint filed by the PCG is found to be sufficient, it will be certified, docketed and formally assigned for preliminary investigation, marking the next stage of our judicial process,” said Cayabyab.
In addition to the legal filings, the PCG confirmed that authorization has been granted to relocate the burnt vessel, which ran aground in shallow waters off Coron following the blaze. “We already issued a salvage permit for the vessel so that the MV June Aster can be brought to a safe area,” Cayabyab added.
He emphasized that the ship will remain preserved for legal proceedings, “we would like to highlight that the salvage activity is limited, as of now, to towing and safekeeping only, as the vessel remains a material evidence in the case being filed.”