MANILA, Feb. 14 -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday ordered the filing of criminal charges against the owners of the M/T Princess Empress and several others for their part in the oil spill that hit Oriental Mindoro and Batangas provinces last year.

Named as respondents were corporate officers, along with several employees of RDC Reield Marines Services, Inc., the shipping company that owns M/T Princess Empress, 19 Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, and two Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) personnel, the agency said in a statement.

The charges include multiple counts of falsification of private documents, use of falsified documents, and multiple counts of falsification of public documents.

The Feb. 28 sinking of the...