The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday, August 15, urged residents who have been affected by the oil spills in Bataan to come forward and seek compensation.

So far, there have been around 31,000 Cavite residents and around 21,000 Bataan residents who been identified as possible recipients of financial compensation, DOJ Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez said on PTV's Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

“Ang mensahe namin kung maari lamang na kung kayo ay apektado ng nangyaring oil spill na ‘to mangyari lamang na lumapit kayo sa local government units para maisama kayo sa listahan (Our message to those affected by the oil spill to come forward and ask the local governments to be listed as among those affected),” Vasquez said. 

“At kung meron man pagkakataon na isangguni niyo sa local government lahat na ho nung mga nangyaring danyos sa inyo ay sabihin ninyo (And if you have the chance seek advice with the local government on all you want to seek compensation for),” he added.

The DOJ has led the  Bataan Oil Spill Inter-Agency Investigation hearings since August 2. concerning the oil leakages caused by MT Terranova, MTKR Jason Bradley, and MV Mirola 1.

Vasquez said the inter-agency investigation has been pursuing civil, administrative, and criminal aspects of the oil spills.

“So ‘yan aspetong ‘yan sa civil ay meron ng maliwanag na resulta dahil sa task force na inumpisahan natin (So, as to the civil aspect, there is already a clear result due to the task force we started),” he said. 

Since the start of the inter-agency hearings, Vasquez  said the owners of MT Terranova, its insurer, and the International Oil Pollution Compensation (OIPC) have been involved and expressed willingness to compensate affected residents.

“‘Yun naman aspeto ng criminal and administrative liability ongoing ho ‘yung fact-finding investigation ng tatlong ahensya na inatasan ho natin, ‘yung NBI, ‘yung Philippine Coast Guard, at tsaka MARINA (As to the criminal and administrative liability, the fact-finding is ongoing and is being conducted by the three agencies tasked with this job, namely, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority),” he said.

 “Kung ano man ang maging resulta n’yang imbestigasyon na ‘yan sa fact-finding ay ‘yan ang magiging basehan kung ano ‘yung mga kasong isasampa sa dapat may pananagutan (Whatever the results of the investigation of the fact-finding will be the bases of the charges that will be filed against those who will be found accountable),” he added.