MANILA: Archbishop urges closing of Sulpicio Lines
MANILA: Archbishop urges closing of Sulpicio Lines
Please, enough is enough.
| Outspoken Catholic Archbishop Oscar Cruz (pictured right) strongly urged Wednesday owners of Sulpicio Lines Inc to shut down their operations for good following another fatal sea tragedy involving one of its vessels. |
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Cruz have called attention to what he call another repeat of negligence and improper care of the victims of the M/V Princess of the Stars which capsized off the coast of Sibuyan Island over the weekend.
"Don't the owners of Sulpucio Lines have enough conscience of just closing down instead of risking hundreds of lives once more," Cruz said.
The prelate issued the statement as government rescuers continue to look for the more than 700 passengers of the ill-fated ship.
He said it's unimaginable why after all these years Sulpicio Lines have not learned a lesson from its previous accidents.
The recent tragedy is already the fourth involving Sulpicio-owned vessels, of which the worst was the M/V Dona Paz tragedy in 1987 that killed over 4,000 passengers.
The two more tragedies include the sinking of M/V Marilyn near Leyte province killing at least 300 people and the submersion of M/V Princess of the Orient Pearl near Batangas in 1998 that claimed almost 200 lives.
The company assured to provide financial assistance worth P200,000 to families of each fatality and medical assistance to those injured.
But Cruz insisted monetary compensation will never be enough.
"Lives need to be respected. These cannot be paid by any amount or sum of money," Cruz said.
Roy Lagarde - [CBCP]
June 25th, 2008