By Hader Glang
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
Criminal charges have been filed against the owner and crew of a ferry that capsized off the Philippines’ eastern Leyte island, killing 59 people.
The charges by the Philippine national police and six survivors of Thursday’s tragedy come after other survivors filed multiple murder charges and complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injuries.
Chief Supt. Asher Dolina, Eastern Visayas police director, was quoted by The Philippine Star as saying the charges were filed late Friday because “we don’t want the suspects to leave the country.”
“They [the accused] were not careful, showing there was an intent to kill. They were reckless on purpose,” he added.
A total of 19 people -- including the ferry owner, captain and 17 crew members -- are currently under police custody amid an ongoing investigation.
Survivors have complained that they were not given life vests and said that the M/B Kim Nirvana-B capsized as it left Ormoc port for Pilar town in Cebu’s Camotes Islands at 12.20 p.m. (0520GMT) on Thursday after the captain made a sharp turn on the choppy waters.
The boat had reportedly been carrying 300 sacks of cement, 50 sacks of rice, bags of fertilizers and nipa shingles (palm leaves often used in roofing).
While the coast guard had earlier said that the ferry could accommodate 194 people, including 178 passengers and 16 crewmembers, the Office of Civil Defense-Visayas said the death toll stood at 59 with 142 survivors as of Saturday.
“This means there were a total of 201 people on the ferry,” the Star quoted Ormoc city disaster official Ciriaco Tolibao as saying.
The boat's manifest showed only 173 passengers and crew, according to the Star.
May Sopa and Jennifer Panares, two of the survivors who filed complaints of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and physical injury, said they had taken action out of a sense of moral obligation in hopes that others would not fall victim to similar tragedies.
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