By Gabriela Baron
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday, Aug. 8, denied accepting bribe or “pampangiti” from the captain of capsized boat in Talim Island to allow it to sail despite being overloaded.
PCG Spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo denied that PCG personnel in Binangonan, Rizal accepted bribe the day MB Aya Express capsized off Talim Island waters on July 27.
“That’s absurd. I do not think our personnel would resort to accepting banana and fifty pesos in exchange of favors,” Balilo said.
“[The] captain denied giving liquors to our personnel. Our personnel also denied demanding any of these items. Wala silang tinatanggap,” he added.
This after boat captain Donald Anain said he gave PCG personnel a bribe to allow his overloaded boat to sail.
“‘Yung ano lang, pampangiti. Kailangan po magdadala ka po ng kahit alin po,” Anain said.
“Bumili lang po ako ng P100 na saging. Tsaka ‘yung P50 na money, meryenda,” he continued.
Twenty-seven individuals died after the motorbanca submerged.
The manifest stated there were only 22 passengers and three crew members. It had over 70 passengers on board. – cf
READ MORE: MARINA suspends safety certificate of capsized motorbanca
