(29 Feb 2004)
Mariveles
1. Wide shot of tilted vessel
2. Wide shot of vessel
3. Rescue worker sliding down rope
4. Divers preparing to submerge
5. Wide shot of tilted vessel with rescue boat by its side with divers
6. Coast guard boat with divers
7. Diver diving into water
8. Rescue workers watching
9. Diver diving into water
10. Rescue workers watching
11. Diver in water
12. Coast guard boat passing by side of tilted vessel
13. Rescue workers on tilted vessel
Manila
14. Filipino Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza
15. SOUNDBITE (English and Tagalog) Leandro Mendoza, Filipino Transportation and Communications Secretary:
"We are discounting that possibility (of the ferry fire being a terrorist attack). You've seen how strict we are on security, particularly at the ports. Especially this port (in Manila), there are many security measures involved here. Even onboard ships, we have dogs there."
(Question: So you're not taking this (Abu Sayyaf) claim seriously?)
"We're not. As a matter of fact, this is far fetched. I hope anti-government forces won't ride on accidents like this."
16. Mendoza
17. SOUNDBITE (English and Tagalog) Leandro Mendoza, Filipino Transportation and Communications Secretary:
"This is an accident. That's our initial finding. But of course, I had requested already the arson investigators from the bureau of fire and then of course, the scene of the crime operations investigators from the police. We will find out (about) all of this. Because we will discover if there will be acts of sabotage or terrorism from the pieces of evidence that the investigators can gather."
18. Various of relatives of missing passengers waiting at coast guard compound
(First Run 1300 GMT Europe Update, 29 Feb 2004)
Manila
19. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo talking to relatives of missing passengers
20. Arroyo shaking hands with relatives
21. SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog) Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Philippines President:
"Those who call the media, those text messages, those rumours, those are done by pranksters. Maybe it's coming from terrorists themselves, but as an afterthought, it's to spread propaganda for their bad plans, and to sow terror."
22. Arroyo shaking hands with coast guard rescuers
STORYLINE:
The Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility on Sunday for an explosion on a ferry that sparked a fire and left 184 passengers missing, as divers failed to find any bodies in initial searches of the wreckage.
The government dismissed the Abu Sayyaf's claim that it planted a bomb aboard the Superferry 14 that started on Friday's blaze, saying the weakened group was trying to resurrect its lethal image.
Only one person has been confirmed dead from the fire that swept through the 10,192-ton steel-hulled ferry.
Witnesses reported a large explosion started the blaze at 12:50 a.m. Friday, about two hours after it left Manila for central Bacolod city and southern Cagayan de Oro.
Most of the 897 passengers and crew survived by getting into lifeboats or jumping into the sea. But hopes for more survivors among the 184 listed as unaccounted for dimmed on Sunday.
Divers, who worked their way through the front section of the vessel, also were mystified, although they said the intense heat that crumpled the metal interior would make it extremely difficult to recognise human remains.
Several teams of investigators converged on the site about 75 kilometres (45 miles) southeast of Manila where the Superferry 14 lay on its side after being towed into shallow waters.
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