The Higaturu Oil Palm Ltd has rejected a compensation demand of K50 million from the relatives of the victims who died in the tragic road accident in Northern Province recently.
Popondetta General Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Gunzee Gawin told Loop PNG however, that the company responded saying they will look at individual victims and assist them.
He said the company refused to entertain the petition but will still compensate the victims and the deceased in their own way.
The relatives of the deceased had given a seven days ultimatum to the company to respond to their petition.
The deadline lapsed last Friday.
They are demanding K50 million as compensation from the Higaturu Oil Palm.
Ijivitari MP David Aore and Sohe MP Delilah Gore have been negotiating with Higaturu and the people on a prudent solution on the issue.
However, a total of K70,000 in cash and 13 truckloads of food has been handed over to the haus-krai of the victims already by the employees of Higaturu last week.
The contributions was given by national employees of Higaturu Oil Palm Limited (HOPL).
The 6,900 workers contributed K20 each with some giving more towards the funeral arrangements.
One food truck have been given to each of the 13 victims.
Spokesman for the employees Ezekiel Baraha stressed that they were not there to represent any organisation, but as fellow Papua New Guineans expressing their condolences in the Melanesian way.
He also urged the mourners not to expect too much from the government or the company involved, and not to politicise the current situation.
Meanwhile, the 13 victims were laid to rest last Thursday.
The nasty accident happened on January 9, 2016.
The accident involved a PMV truck and an oil palm fruit truck belonging to the Higaturu Oil Palm Ltd.
All the 13 victims died instantly at the accident site.
A total of 29 passengers were travelling on the PMV truck at that time.