A Day of Mourning for Filipinos
- Jay Ann Ramirez
- Jul 5, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 12, 2021
The crash site in Patikul, Sulu, where the C-130 military plane crashed, killing 49 soldiers and three civilians on Sunday, July 4, 2021. (Photo Courtesy of Joint Task Force Sulu)
SINCE I arrived in Toronto, Canada, in February this year, I always try my best to read the news in the Philippines. I would like to think of it as my way of staying connected to my home country. The adjustment in Canada is not easy, considering that English is not my first language, and the culture is diverse.
While I was reading the news on Monday, I stumbled upon the military plane crash incident in my home country. A C-130 military plane carrying nearly a hundred people, mostly soldiers, crashed on Sunday, July 4, in the village of Bangkal, Patikul, Sulu.
According to the Philippine Air Force, the C-130 plane took off from the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City to Cagayan De Oro City to pick up the soldiers and equipment before heading to Sulu. The seasoned pilots failed to regain power and missed the runway, reports said.
WATCH: Interview with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana
As of Monday, the death toll is at 52. Of the 52 fatalities, 49 were soldiers and three were civilians who were on the ground when the crash happened. The dead are among the at least 96 passengers who were listed in the flight.
Importance of AFP to Filipinos
What saddens me is knowing that most of the passengers, according to a GMA News report, just recently graduated from their basic military course. They were set to be assigned to the Philippine Army’s 11th Infantry Batallion’s Joint Task Force Sulu.
What does this mean? How important are the soldiers of the AFP? The AFP’s main purpose is to protect the country from an external threat like Islamic militants from Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and other factions, who have been at war with the army for such a long time now.
Those soldiers were supposed to be of great help to the country’s fight against terrorism. They could have helped deter bombings, assassinations, kidnap-for-ransom attempts, and executions that are mostly present on the southern island of Mindanao.
It can be recalled that on April 17, 2021, Philippine troops killed in an encounter three suspected Abu Sayyaf Group members led by Mudzrimar “Mundi” Sawadjaan near Patikul, Sulu. Of the three dead bodies, one was identified by the military as an Egyptian national known only as Yusop and the second was identified as a suspected bombmaker named Abu Khattab Jundullah alias Saddam.
About the C-130 military plane
Aside from the loss in the number of soldiers, the country also lost one of its C-130 planes.
The one that crashed in Sulu was the C-130 – 5125 aircraft, which arrived in the country on January 29 this year. That same aircraft was given by the United States government and was among the four currently owned C-130 aircraft of the Philippines.
In a press conference on Monday, AFP spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo said the crashed C-130 - 5125 was in very good condition although it was not brand new.
He said before the aircraft crashed, it had around 11,000 flying hours remaining before it is set for maintenance.
With that in mind, it would now probably be harder for the country and the troops to conduct heavy airlift missions during humanitarian, security, and disaster response operations.
We all know that the country experiences typhoons, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, among others. And the aircraft could have helped Filipinos in rebuilding their lives every after a calamity hits the country.
As of this posting, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has ordered an investigation of the incident.
As a Filipino, I offer my condolences and prayers to the souls of the fallen troops and their families, those who were injured, and the investigators.
Now we wait for the result of the investigation after the C-130 plane’s flight data recorder has been recovered. Authorities said it could help investigators determine the cause of the incident.
WATCH: Duterte honors killed soldiers
P.S.
This article is part of my Journalism and Public Life assignment, which will run for 30 days. Everything that is written here is based on my personal account. All the embedded links and visuals are still properly attributed. Feel free to leave your comment below or send me a private message if you have questions or clarifications regarding this article.
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