Safety
Coast guard files a falsification complaint against the June Aster captain
The Philippine Coast Guard has filed a falsification complaint against MV June Aster captain Roel Sarmiento over the Master Declaration of Safe Departure and the passenger manifest. Philstar.com reports 77 deaths, 71 of them still unidentified, eight people missing and 43 survivors.
Source: Philstar.com (opens in a new tab)
Philstar.com reported on 28 September 2026 that the Philippine Coast Guard has filed a criminal complaint against Capt. Roel Sarmiento, captain of the MV June Aster, over discrepancies in a safety document and the vessel’s passenger manifest.
Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab said the complaint, for falsification of a public document, was filed before the Department of Justice’s National Prosecution Service. It concerns the Master Declaration of Safe Departure, a sworn document the captain submits certifying that the ship is safe and ready to sail. Investigators found discrepancies between that declaration and the number of people who actually boarded.
Cayabyab said six passengers listed on the ticket manifest did not board, that one passenger’s name was entered twice, and that a crew member was listed who did not board. She said the falsification complaint is only the first of the possible criminal complaints from the investigation. “We are now on our case build-up and we are still awaiting the forensic result,” she said.
Under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act 10951, Philstar.com says falsification by a private individual involving a public or official document carries a penalty of prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods, or two years, four months and one day to six years, and a fine of up to P1 million.
The Department of Justice is making an initial evaluation. If prosecutors find a sufficient basis, the complaint may be docketed for preliminary investigation.
The MV June Aster caught fire off Coron, Palawan, on 9 September. Philstar.com says authorities have confirmed 77 deaths, with 71 of the fatalities still unidentified, while eight people remain missing and 43 survived. The Coast Guard is still awaiting forensic findings from the Bureau of Fire Protection on the cause of the fire.
The Maritime Industry Authority is conducting a separate investigation. Region IV director Maximo Bañares Jr. earlier said improperly stowed flammable cargo may have caused the blaze, although the agency had yet to release its final report.