The Government yesterday lodged a pollution case against Petron Corp., the country’s largest oil refiner, and Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. (SMDC) for the oil spill in Guimaras, whose damaging effect, experts say, would continue to be felt by the fishing-dependent province in the coming years. Petron and SMDC were charged before the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) with violating...the Clean Water Act...“The PAB can now take cognizance of the pollution case,” PAB legal counsel Jonas Leones told reporters...Petron had hired SMDC, owner of the MT Solar I, to transport 2.19 million liters of bunker fuel oil from its refinery in Limay, Bataan, to Zamboanga del Sur. The tanker sank 24 km off Guimaras on Aug. 11 and has leaked as much as 1.3 million liters of oil, according to the Department of Science and Technology. An official of the Department of Justice has recommended criminal charges against SMDC and the tanker’s skipper...while Petron could face civil liabilities. [also refers to Lafayette Phils. Inc.]