PCG: No overloading, overselling of tickets in Romblon-bound vessel

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday refuted that the ship bound for Romblon that was flagged by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) last week was overloaded and selling tickets beyond its capacity.

PCG deputy spokesperson Commander Michael John Encina said that this was revealed in the investigation they conducted with Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) and Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) upon the direction of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon.

“We cleared that report dito po mismo sa cognizant shipping agency. At we found out po na ‘yung naibalitang ganon ay wala namang overloading talaga,” Encina said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(We cleared that report with the cognizant shipping agency, and we found out that they were not overloading at all.) 

“Ang nangyari po doon… ‘yung barkong involved ay umalis on time at may mga natirang pasahero pa na hindi nakahabol sa byahe. Ngunit itong mga pasaherong ito naman ay hindi rin nakabili ng ticket,” Encina said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. 

(What happened was the ship involved left on time, but there were passengers who were not able to board. These passengers weren’t also able to buy tickets.) 

Last Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon said the MARINA issued a show cause order against Montenegro Shipping Lines, Inc. for suspected overloading.

The DOTr was also investigating the ship for supposedly selling tickets beyond its capacity. Dizon said the Coast Guard caught the vessel in Batangas, bound for Romblon.

“We found out during the conduct of our initial investigation na wala ring nag-oversell ng ticket nila [that there was no overselling of tickets],” Encina clarified.

The DOTr said Dizon had ordered compensation for the affected passengers of the vessel. —RF, GMA Integrated News