The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has filed a syndicated estafa complaint against the owner of M/B Aya Express and several others after the boat capsized on July 27 and killed 27 people.
According to PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, a syndicated estafa complaint was filed against the owner, boat captain, and members of the Talim Island Motorboat and Patrons Association (TIPMOPA) on Thursday.
Balilo stated that the lawsuit was based on possible "fraud" and "misrepresentation," adding He further stated that the complaint was filed on Wednesday with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Taytay, Rizal.
The M/B Aya Express collapsed at Laguna Lake near Binangonan, Rizal, on July 27.
Strong winds, according to a survivor, terrified the passengers, who then moved to the left side of the vessel, causing the vessel to tip and capsize.
Based on the PCG report, 27 people were killed in the incident, while 40 were injured.
The captain earlier claimed that he was unaware that the boat was overcrowded.
According to preliminary investigations, the boat left Binangonan on July 27 and was on its way to Talim Island when it was hit by strong winds 45 meters from land.
The M/B Aya Express was allowed to sail when the storm warnings for Typhoon Egay were dropped.
MARINA had suspended M/B Aya Express's Passenger Ship Safety Certificate (PSSC) "effective immediately until further notice" following the incident.
A Senate investigation into the catastrophic capsizing of a passenger boat is also being planned.
Senator Raffy Tulfo stated that he wrote a Senate resolution to ensure that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), "along with its officers, are held accountable in the name of command responsibility whenever a ship or a boat sinks due to negligence."
Separately, Senator Jinggoy Estrada stated that "we must hold those responsible accountable for their actions or inactions that may have contributed to this tragedy."
