navigate
or
 
Legazpi City
Albay, Philippines
connect now
Cancel
Cancel
Cancel
Search, rescue ops still on for Robredo, 2 pilots
Philippine Information Agency
By Marlon A. Loterte
posted 20-Aug-2012  ·  
0 comments
Even as President Aquino left Masbate this afternoon, several key officials have stayed behind taking the reins of the search and rescue operation to find Interior and Local Government Sec. Jesse Robredo and two others who have since been missing after the plane carrying them crashed off Masbate waters Saturday afternoon.

President Aquino left the officials with a directive that remains a search and rescue operation for the missing.

The President has been at Masbate since early morning yesterday until this afternoon overseeing the massive aerial, surface, and underwater search and rescue operations conducted kilometers within the vicinity of the crash site off Masbate waters.

Before returning to Manila, President Aquino met with Atty. Lenny Robredo, wife of the secretary, and other members of the family this afternoon at the airport lounge in Naga Airport and briefed the same on the status of the operation in Masbate.

The President left Naga Airport around 5:45 pm for Manila.

Meanwhile, staying put in Masbate City search and rescue operation center include Transportation and Communication Sec. Mar Roxas, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, Budget Sec. Butch Abad, Presidential Communication Development and Strategic Planning Office Sec. Ricky Carandang, and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Jessie Dellosa to take the lead and work hand in hand with the local officials and response units.

In a briefing this afternoon, Roxas said that still more aerial, surface and underwater search will be conducted.

Roxas said that sea crafts are continuously combing the surface within kilometers off Masbate shore while specialized technical deep diving group, including volunteer foreign divers, from Cebu with special equipment have since 1:00 pm entered the water and intend to dive down to 250 meters depth.

“We have also yet to pick up ELT emergency locator signal from the plane that is being usually transmitted if plane equipped with which when it crashes to help us speed up the search,” he added.

Earlier today in Naga City, Aika Robredo, eldest daughter of Sec. Robredo, said during the press conference that “our family remains hopeful that our father and the two other missing will be found alive and hopes for more definitive news as we have also prepared ourselves and braced for the worst”.

Robredo’s daughter further said the family is very satisfied of and very grateful to the government’s relentless effort, especially to President Aquino and his Cabinet, to find the still missing passengers of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane off Masbate waters.

"We are just overwhelmed by the unbelievable outpouring of support and prayers for our father and our family," she said.

Jun Lavadia, a close friend of the DILG chief and serving as spokesperson for the Robredos, said in an interview that they remain optimistic that the secretary is alive and may perhaps be able to escape from the plane, along with his companion, prior or after the crash and swam to shore noting that he is a good swimmer. (MAL/EAD-PIA5)
What do you think?
0 comments
New to ugnayan?
leave a comment, you need to connect.
Connect thru
Cancel
Cancel
Cancel
138
views
share
like
posted
20-Aug-2012
ugnayan © 2013
online: 
26 visitors