By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate investigation into the recent crash of an FA-50PH jet fighter that killed two pilots of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Malacañang said Thursday.
In a press briefing, Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said Malacañang is saddened by the incident.
“Pinamamadali po ng Pangulo ang agarang pag-iimbestiga po dito san nagkamali at kung ano pa ang maaaring maging remedy sa mga ganitong klaseng pangyayari (The President is urging an immediate investigation into what went wrong and what else can be a remedy for these kinds of incidents),” Castro said.
“Syempre po, ang ating damdamin patungkol po diyan ay nakakalungkot po ang nangyayari sa atin. So, agarang pag-iimbestigasyon din po ang inutos po ng ating Pangulo diyan (Of course, our feelings about what is happening saddens us. So, our President has also ordered a thorough investigation into that),” she added.
The crashed FA-50PH, with tail number 002, was reported missing on March as it was about to take part in a “tactical night” operation in the Eastern Mindanao Command.
The South Korean-made aircraft, along with other members of its flight, took off from Benito N. Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.
The PAF on Wednesday immediately grounded all 11 remaining FA-50PH jet fighters in its inventory, following the discovery of the wreckage of the missing aircraft in the vicinity of Mount Kalatungan Complex in Bukidnon.
It also vowed to expedite the investigation, as it is yet to determine the exact cause of the mishap.
The country acquired 12 FA-50PHs from Korea Aerospace Industries for PHP18.9 billion. (PNA)
