Bodies of 6 Pinoy seamen brought home

The remains of six Filipino seamen killed in a cruise ship explosion in Miami, Florida last month arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from the US yesterday.

Reports said relatives of the victims plan to sue the Norwegian Cruise Lines, owner of the SS Norway, where an explosion occurred in the boiler room last May 25.

Administrator Virgilio Angelo of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA) said Ramil Bernal, Ricardo Rosal, Candido Valenzuela and Rene Villanueva were killed instantly, while Mari John Bautista and Ramon Villasis, who sustained third degree burns, died later from serious injuries at the hospital.

OWWA has given P120,000 to the family of each of the victims, representing insurance gratuities, scholarships and other forms of assistance, in addition to benefits from their foreign employer.

Abdi Comedia, one of the Filipinos injured in the explosion, has already filed a $1-billion suit against their foreign principal.

Comedia, along with Rolando Tejero, Raymond Lovino, Ronaldo Marcelino and Paul Peralta, is still being treated at the Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

Earlier, Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas cautioned the Filipino seafarers and their relatives against filing a damage suit as it could hamper the hiring of Filipino seafarers abroad. – Mayen Jaymalin