ABS-CBNnews.com
A Cessna aircraft carrying Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo crashed in the sea off Masbate City Saturday afternoon, according to a Masbate official.
Masbate Vice Governor Vince Revil said the plane carrying Robredo and several others crashed 150 meters away from the Masbate airport.
“Nag-emergency call that they are going to have an emergency landing sa Masbate City Airport pero nag-crash ang plane about 150 meters away from the airport , nag-crash sa dagat,” Revil told “TV Patrol: Weekend.”
Revil said Robredo’s aide, identified as Jun Abrazado, has been rescued from the crash site. Revil said Abrazado was the one who pinpointed the location of the crash site.
Revil said search and rescue operations are ongoing for Robredo and the two pilots.
Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang, meanwhile, confirmed that search and rescue operations are currently ongoing.
“The aircraft was off the coast of Masbate when contact was lost earlier today. We will be updating the public as details are confirmed: speculation is not useful at this point,” Carandang said in a statement.
According to Revil, Robredo’s plane came from Cebu and was headed to Naga City.
Engine trouble
The Cessna plane carrying Robredo reportedly experienced engine trouble before plunging off the shoreline of Masbate City, according to Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas.
“Ayon sa CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) ay tumawag ang piloto na nagka-[engine] trouble, ‘yung pinakamalapit na airport na tungo sa Naga ay Masbate so doon tumungo ang eroplano pero ‘di nakarating,” he told ANC.
“Mga 1 kilometer na lang from shore at doon nag-crash ang eroplano,” added Roxas.
Roxas appealed for prayers for the missing Robredo, whom he described as one of the most sensible people in the government.
“Isa po siya sa mga pinakamatino na tao, kaya ipagdasal natin siya.”
3 missing
Interior Undersecretary Rico Puno told dzMM that Robredo, the plane’s pilot, Capt. Jesuc Mainting, and a Nepalese co-pilot remain missing.
Puno said scuba divers from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy have been deployed to search for them.
However, Masbate Governor Rizalina Lanete said that as of 7:30 p.m., search activity of the divers has been ceased due to visibility problems. The divers will resume underwater search early Sunday.
Lanete noted that visual search for the survivors is still ongoing.
A command center has been set-up near the crash site where rescue groups, including the police, Red Cross, Navy, Coast Guard and fishermen are helping with search and rescue efforts.
Puno said Robredo was actually booked for a Cebu Pacific flight to Manila in the afternoon but since the DILG secretary had to make at trip to Naga City, he opted to board the light aircraft.
“Apparently the plane was owned by the pilot himself… ‘di ko malaman kung dati na niya ‘yung sinasakyan. Ang alam ko marami rin hong nagpapahiram ng eroplano,” said Puno.
The DILG undersecretary said Robredo boarded a Piper Ceneca, an American twin-engine light aircraft typically used for personal and business flying.
I pray for the best that Sec. Robredo and all his companions survived the crash.
Sad news.
He is one of the few that I admire in PNoy’s cabinet. Praying that he is alive and well.
Hoping for the safe return of the 3 missing men.
I hope and pray that Sec. Robredo and companions we’re safe,..any update pls?
paulit ulit naman ang mga ganitong pangyayari, defective ang mga planes , bakit hindi inaayos? parang flood, dengue kada taon same ang news, owners of this planes crashing should be made responsible,di ba me ganyan din nag crash sa bahay, but where are the owners???na bribe most likely so walang kaso
We still have a strong HOPE in Miracles..Accidents happen, and can’t be avoided, similarly Miracles happen too!!!…The DILG Chief, Jess Robredo is one of the very few responsible-honest-credible Cabinet Secretaries ( maybe 5-7 of them )in the PNoy admin..The country needs him at this point in time !..May the remaining victims of the crash survives the ordeal..GOD BLESS and shield them from any “life threatening situations”…
Post #5 (acibig) – Mukhang barking at the wrong tree.Kundi ako nagkakamali, yung piloto ay yung mismong mayari ng eroplano so sa tingin ko hindi niya isasaalang ang kanyang sariling buhay niya kung “defective” ang eroplano.
Kaunting hinahon lang at ipagdal na lang natin na ma-rescue sila Sec Jesse at yung 2 piloto.
Let’s pray & hope that sec. Robredo & his group survived the crashed.
He will be a big loss. Inspite of all the crap he had to deal with early on in the Pnoy cabinet, he held on and put his pride aside for his country. Very hard working and a silent worker. Sana naman buhay pa siya.
When I was in the active service, it would have been the height of insensitivity/callousness to even entertain the thought that the well-respected DILG Secretary has preceded all of us to the afterlife. But my long years in SAR operations would tell me that, unless they were earlier rescued by fishermen near the crash site, there was no way for them to survive that mishap. No offense meant to the distressed family. Miracles do happen.
#9
Henry, I was also thinking along the same line. How can one survive for more than 24 hours in open seas. I was really hoping that there were fishermen who rescued them and was brought to a safe place. But then, they (fishermen) should have already alerted the authorities if indeed they’ve the three crash victims with them.
Yes, miracles do happen.
kakalungkot kung makarining ka ng ganitong news. Lalo na kung yung involved ay politikong may malasakit sa kapakanan ng bayan.
kung yun mga dating miyembro ng nakaraang administrasyon na mga magnanakaw kasama na ang bosing nila sa kanila mangyari ito…kainin sana sila ng pating!!!
Olan, same thinking here. Noong panay ang pasarap ni midget kasama ang isang batalyong alipores niya at naka-chartered plane pa sila, yan ang iniisip ko. Hindi ako manghihinayang na mawala lahat ang mga buwaya-sabay sabay! But Robledo strikes me as a very decent man and you can really see how hard he worked. Siya pa ang mukhang nauna sa lahat. I seldom pray for politicians but today at church, I prayed for a miracle for him, that he will be found some place alive.