Sulpicio Lines Public Announcement (List of The Dead / Victims and Claim Forms)

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• Jun 30,2008 | 2,621 Readers
• In: PGT News, Tragedies

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Finally, MV Princess of the Stars owner Sulpicio Lines have released the Death Claim Forms on their website. They’ve also released a statement for the P 200,000 insurance that can be claimed by the victims’ families without regard if the victim has not been found or identified. Still, with these offers of money, the company says that they are not admitting liability on the accident, which is really sad and really cruel at the same time because it is their boat and crew that managed to put the sea vessel in peril of an incoming typhoon. I just realized this is the worst tragedy that can ever occur to a familiy and a nation, when a company fails to admit even its own errors and would gladly offer a measly amount of money, a paid insurance no less, just so the families would at least feel better, when the truth is no amount of money can compensate for the loss of a loved one, or loved ones as is the case for most victims.

They have also released several forms for Death Claims. You can download the forms below.

Procedures of Processing/Settlement of Death Claim
Death Claim Form
NBI Requirements for Body Identification
DSWD Clearance Requirements
Requirements for Body Identification

And they have released a list of casualties or confirmed dead people from the tragedy. As of the moment, the list contains only 4 people, out of the hundreds found dead and hundreds more missing.

List of Casualties / Confirmed Victims

Below is the public announcement from the company. I leave it to the families of the victims how they feel about this statement.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

We have lost our good ship, MV Princess of the Stars, the crown jewel in our fleet, and some of our best crew. But more than these, we have lost valued passengers without whose patronage the company would not have been where it is today. Even as we grieve and continue to mourn the loss of priceless human lives, we must now match that grief with decisive action to directly address the plight of the victims and their loved ones to ease their suffering.

Mindful, likewise, of the deep concern shown by our president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, for the victims and their families and her desire that their plight be alleviated by concrete actions, Sulpicio Lines, Inc. has decided to cast aside legal technicalities and waive the waiting period of one year within which missing passengers will be compensated. Instead, the legal heirs of ALL VICTIMS LISTED IN THE PASSENGER MANIFEST will be paid the amount of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos regardless of whether the bodies have been recovered or are still missing, and regardless of whether the bodies have been identified or not up to this time.

We therefore invite the next of kin or legal heirs of every passenger-victim (casualties) listed in the PASSENGER MANIFEST to fill up A CLAIM FORM which can be obtained from our Manila office at Pier 12, North Harbor, Manila or from our Cebu office at Reclamation Area, Cebu City, and submit this to either office, together with the following supporting documents (original copy):

Birth Certificate and Marriage Contract of victims;
Birth Certificate and Marriage Contract of claimant/s;
Valid cedula and government ID of the claimant/s;
Voter’s ID of the victim and claimant/s (if available or deemed necessary);
Affidavit of relationship of the claimant/s to the victim;
Death Certificate (if available).
There is no need to hire the services of a lawyer because the claims will be acted upon with dispatch and with as simple documentation as possible.

The PASSENGER MANIFEST is posted in conspicuous places at the office of Sulpicio Lines, Inc. in Manila and Cebu.

Human life is so precious that no money value can be attached to it.

But this is the least that we can do to show how deeply we commiserate with the victims of this unfortunate event, a tragedy that nobody wanted to happen, least of all Sulpicio Lines.

We would like to thank the NGOs, the PNRC, DSWD, DSWS, NDCC, NBI, DOTC and Marina, DOH, LGUs most especially the Cebu City Government, PN divers, PN, PNP and AFP, US Navy, Philippine Coast Guard auxiliary and most especially the Philippine Coast Guard for their invaluable assistance.

This announcement shall not be construed as an admission of liability on the part of Sulpicio Lines, Inc.

May Almighty God bless us all.