PCG files raps vs. RoRo vessel crew over fisherman’s death

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MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has filed a criminal case against officers of a roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel over the death of a fisherman in Negros Occidental on September 8.

According to the incident report issued on Wednesday, the PCG District Southern Visayas on September 29 filed the case for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property against the crew members of Philippine-registered LCT Golden Lotus.

Charged before the Office of City Prosecutor in Escalante, Negros Occidental were LCT Golden Lotus ship captain Vincent Book, chief mate Arnel Martinez, helmsman Celestino Nuñez Jr., and lookout Marlon Dangan for the death of 29-year-old fisherman Je-Ar Caspe.

Caspe’s father, Enrique, said he and his son were on separate boats at 4 a.m. on September 8 off Molocaboc Island in Sagay City and Pamaaun Reef in Escalante when the landing craft rammed his son’s boat.

According to the report, Enrique searched for his son, a father of three children, but found him dead “with a missing right leg and fractured right arm” and his boat was damaged.

After getting a report of the incident from the PCG Sub-Station in Escalante, the PCG District Southern Visayas conducted an investigation that led to the filing of criminal charges against the LCT Golden Lotus crew members.