Solon: Explain Basilan ferry fire first, budget scrutiny later
HOUSE Deputy Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has vowed to scrutinize the budget of the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) come plenary debates on the P5.768 trillion 2024 national budget if the agency continues to offer no clear answers to questions surrounding the fatal ferry fire in Basilan last March.
“Lagpas tatlumpong katao ang namatay sa nasunog na M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 sa Basilan noong Marso, pero tila walang maisagot na maayos ang ating mga otoridad kung may nakasuhan na ba o anong parusa ang naipataw sa mga responsable sa trahedya,” Hataman said.
Hataman posed several questions to MARINA regarding the tragedy during last Monday’s budget hearing of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), but the agency’s head Hernani Fabia appeared to be “crafty” and “unsure” in his answers.
“I asked about the status and findings of MARINA on the accountability of the owners of the M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 and if there were people charged. Sinagot ba naman tayo ng ‘parang na-suspend ang CTC ng barko,’” said Hataman, former governor of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“Ang sabi ko, bakit mo sususpindihin ang barko eh nasunog na nga? Hindi sigurado ang head ng MARINA sa kanyang mga sagot, mukhang hindi handa sa mga tanong natin, kaya itinigil na natin ang pagtatanong,” he added.
During budget hearings at the House committee on appropriations, lawmakers have limited time and are given only five minutes to ask questions to the many agencies under a line department. MARINA is defending a P1.105 billion budget for 2024.
“Dapat sigurado tayo kung may napanagot sa trahedyang ito, dahil kung hindi ay parang minamaliit natin ang buhay ng mga namatay. Mahigit tatlumpong katao itong pinag-uusapan natin, dapat ay maging responsible tayo sa ating responsibiidad at mandato,” Hataman said.
“At kailangang may managot. Kaya natin tinatanong kung may nakasuhan na,” he added.
At the end of Hataman’s interpellation, he asked to defer the budget of MARINA. However, in the end, the committee agreed to approve the entire budget of DOTr including that of the maritime agency.
“MARINA should explain, in very clear terms, the results of the investigation it launched on the Basilan ferry fire incident. Nakasuhan ba criminally ang mga may-ari ng MV Lady Mary Joy 3?
Anong parusang administratibo ang ipinataw? Ano ang ginawang hakbang ng MARINA para hindi na maulit ang trahedya?” he asked.
“Marami tayong tanong pero tila hindi kayang sagutin ng maayos ng tagapamahala ng MARINA ang mga ibinato nating kwestyon. Kaya sa plenary na lang natin uulitin ang ating mga katanungan.”
