AFFIRMING and modifying its earlier decision, the Court of Appeals said there’s ‘gross negligence and bad faith’ committed by the Sulpicio Lines Inc. which owned the ill-fated M/V Princess of Stars that sank off the coast of San Fernando, Romblon at the height of Typhoon ‘Frank’ and killed 814 passengers on June 21, 2008.
As a result, the appellate court in its amended July 2025 decision ordered the owners of the now renamed Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corp. (PSACC, formerly SLI), to pay the heirs/relatives of the 71 victims a total indemnification from P133,869,801.90 to P136,329,914.38.
The same amended ruling reaffirmed the personal liability of the shipowners — Enrique Go, Eusebio Go, Carlos Go, Victoriano Go, Dominador Go, Ricardo Go, Edward Go and Edgar Go — that “they were grossly negligent in directing its affairs and they are solidary liable with the PSACC to the appellees.”
Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney’s Office, which handles the civil cases of the victims’ heirs and relatives, hailed the CA’s amended decision saying they knew from the start based on their evidence that the ship owners were criminally and civilly liable.
The public attorney chief said evidence would show that the Gos (owners) were grossly negligent in their management of PSACC and in their failure to take decisive action that could have prevented the tragic event.
For the four sea mishap survivors – Gerardo Pelimer, Francisco Batula, Sosan Lisbo and Rodel Laborte – Associate Justice Wilhelmina Jorge-Wagan, along with Associate Justices Maria Elisa Sempio Uy and Angelene Mary Quinto-Sale, award them of P400,000 in moral damages and another P400,000 in exemplary damages each.
“The survivors-appellees had to struggle to survive the raging storm. In the course of their struggle, they had to witness their loved ones die,” the CA said.
In the same ruling, the appellate court noted that seven of the victims’ heirs and relatives led by Regina Reyes did not ask for actual and compensatory damages when they filed their motion for reconsideration.
It then directed the plaintiffs/appellees through PAO to file their comment on the motion of the appellants to cancel their superseded bond or appeal bond and a motion for substitution of counsel within 15 days from the receipt of the amended decision.
