Air Philippines crash victims’ kin to seek share in compensation

DAVAO CITY — The dismissal of their American lawyers has cost the families of 21 victims of an airplane crash in 2000 to miss out on $165 million worth of indemnity. On the other hand, the families of 110 victims have claimed insurance for the loss of their loved ones in the Air Philippines Flight 541 crash. North Cotabato Vice-Governor Emmanuel F. Piñol, whose sister-in-law, nephew, and niece also perished, said he will discuss the issue with officials of American law firm Nolan Law Group. Mr. Piñol flies to Chicago, USA on May 5 to discuss with American lawyers the plight of the 21 victims’ families. He did not disclose the reason behind the families missing out on the insurance claim. Beth C. Lu, sister of the victim, said it was painful for the family when it heard that other families were to receive a large sum from an out-of-court settlement in Chicago, Illinois. Ms. Lu claimed her family only knew of the settlement from news reports. She said her mother signed a document when the airline company handed her an amount for the death of her brother. Patricio F. Piñol, a retired police official and older brother of the North Cotabato vice-governor, said the government at first claimed the accident was caused by a pilot error. The Piñols haled the case to the Court of Appeals and asked the court for the formation of an independent lawyer, which was not granted. Several months later, the younger Piñol then met lawyer Manuel von Ribbeck of the Nolan Law Group. This paved the way for the filing of the case in a Chicago court as one of those defendants of the case, AAR Corp., the company that leased the Boeing 737-200 aircraft to Air Philippines, was also based in Chicago. The lawyers for the victims contended that the plane was unsafe, but the defendants never admitted the allegation. Flight 541 crashed in Barangay Camudmud, Island Garden City of Samal on April 19, 2000. All 131 passengers and crew died. - Romer S. Sarmiento, BusinessWorld