Batangas: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has begun investigating the alleged overloading incident involving a roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) vessel at the Batangas Port.

According to Philippine News Agency, the concerned vessel departed from the Batangas Port heading to the Port of Odiongan in Romblon, carrying 942 passengers and 29 vehicles at about 5 p.m. on Sunday. The RoRo's maximum passenger capacity is 1,000 individuals. However, more than 100 passengers were reportedly left behind after the shipping line sold tickets beyond the ship's capacity.

The PCG coordinated with the concerned shipping company and was informed that an additional vessel intended for deployment was undergoing drydock for repairs. Based on the initial investigation by the PCG District Southern Tagalog, passengers were stranded at Batangas Port as they reached the cut-off time of the ticketing system. The concerned shipping company explained that the affected passengers were unable to purchase tickets and board the vessel as its capacity had already been reached.

The PCG stated that the stranded passengers were prioritized for ticket issuance on the next scheduled trip at about 5 p.m. on Monday. Meanwhile, the shipping line maintained that there were no instances of overloading during the trip. In a statement on Tuesday, the company confirmed that all passengers on the Batangas-Odiongan trip were ticketed and no ticketed passengers were left behind.

Department of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon ordered an investigation into the incident and demanded compensation for affected passengers. He emphasized that passenger safety cannot be compromised and warned that shipping lines would be held accountable if they sold more tickets than their capacity.