Sulpicio Lines should close down - bishop

MANILA, Philippines - A senior official of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Wednesday said that with the number of incidents involving its vessels, the Sulpicio Lines is better off closed. “Don’t the owners of Sulpicio Lines have enough conscience to just closing down instead of risking hundreds of lives once more,” Lingayen Archbishop Oscar Cruz said. Sulpicio Lines is the owner of MV Princess of the Stars, which capsized off the coast of Sibuyan Island in Romblon province last Saturday. Hundreds are feared dead in the incident. Cruz noted that it is the fourth time that a vessel from Sulpicio Lines figured in a tragedy. Other Sulpicio Lines-owned vessels that figured in sea tragedies were the MV Doña Paz, which sank in December 1987 killing close to 5,000 people; MV Marilyn in October 1988 that had 300 fatalities; and MV Princess of the Orient in September 1998, 200 fatalities. Sulpicio Lines has promised to provide financial assistance worth P200,000 each to the relatives of the victims and medical assistance to those injured. But Cruz said monetary compensation will never be enough. “Lives need to be respected. These cannot be paid by any amount or sum of money,” he said. - GMANews.TV