Greenpeace statement on oil spill-affected communities being advised against suing ship owner

Amid reports of the insurers of MT Princess Empress dissuading potential claimants from filing charges against RDC, Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Jefferson Chua said:

“It is utterly unacceptable that an insurer would discourage claimants from exercising their legal right to seek justice while dangling compensation money over their heads. Communities have suffered enough in the past month and the last thing they need is more disenfranchisement from companies who continue to operate with impunity.

“While the insurer has the responsibility of making sure claimants fully know their rights and the consequences of their choices, it has no business airing their suggestions about what claimants should or should not be doing. This reveals the self-serving mindset of these companies: that impacted communities are mere collateral damage and they can easily be paid off. Treating people like this without considering long-term reparations is a classic move by companies that refuse to acknowledge that their business operations constitute grave threats against communities and biodiversity. It’s a move to escape accountability.

“The government should make these polluters come out in the open, take responsibility for the spill, and pay reparations due to the communities. It has been a month since the oil spill and we’ve yet to see our government agencies provide a complete and accurate valuation of the damages–without this, the companies involved are being given an easy way out. It is in the best interest of the government to protect people, our valuable natural resources, and economy against companies that operate without regard for the serious and often irreparable consequences of their destructive business.. We call on the President to demand reparations from those responsible for this ongoing catastrophe.”