MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday said inspections and protocol in ports would be heightened following the capsizing of a ferry in Binangonan that killed 27 people.

Earlier this week, motor banca Princess Aya capsized in Laguna de Bay off the coast of Binangonan as the possibly overloaded ferry transported passengers at the height of stormy weather in Luzon.

• Mahigit 20, patay sa lumubog na motorbanca sa Binangonan
• Tumaob na bangka sa Rizal na ikinamatay ng 27 tao, overloaded: PCG

“Itong darating na bagyo ay maging mahigpit tayo sa pag inspect ng interisland ferries para maiwasan yung ganitong insidente,” said Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, spokesperson of the PCG.

Investigations are on going, but the ferry captain has already admitted that they carried more passengers than what was declared in their documents, he said.

“Yung captain naman obviously inadmit niya yung mga pagkakamali. Nagsubmit ng manifest tapos nagpasakay pa, tapos hindi sila nagpapalife vest,” he said.

“Ang pinaka goal ay makapag file ng kaso against sa captain at crew,” he said.

“We relieved already our station commander. Nasa headquarters na sila at so far on going ang investigation,” he added.

• PCG relieves 2 personnel in Binangonan port after motorbanca tragedy; to launch probe
• Survivor sa lumubog na bangka sa Rizal: 'Hindi kami naka-life vest'

Investigations are expected to wrap up next week with cases set to be filed against the captain and his crew, he said.

“Kailangan matapos na kasi may prescriptive period yung detention noong captain… Earliest ay Monday,” he said.

PCG divers are still deployed for retrieval operations in case another body surfaces, the PCG official said.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC