THE captain of the ill‑fated MV June Aster, Roel Sarmiento, has voluntarily appeared before authorities five days after his vessel caught fire off the waters of Coron, Palawan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed Tuesday.
Sarmiento presented himself at the office of the ship’s operator, Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., in Palawan on Monday, September 14, and his appearance was immediately reported to the Emergency Operations Center. He was accompanied by company HR General Dindo Macalinao.
PCG Spokesperson Commodore Noemie Cayabyab disclosed that investigators are scheduled to formally question Captain Sarmiento to establish a full account of the tragedy. Specifically, authorities will seek details on his movements in the days immediately following the blaze, his whereabouts during that period, and the sequence of events aboard the vessel before, during, and after the fire broke out. His delayed appearance had raised questions, making his account critical to the ongoing investigation.
The MV June Aster caught fire on the evening of Wednesday, September 9, while navigating near Coron. As of the latest official update, the confirmed death toll stands at 76, with all recovered remains accounted for, while 12 persons remain missing. A total of 44 survivors have been identified, including Sarmiento. The vessel was carrying 132 passengers and crew at the time of the incident. The exact cause of the fire has yet to be determined, and investigators expect Sarmiento’s testimony to provide key clarity on what went wrong.
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