NINE were injured after a Philippine Air Force helicopter
crash landed in Sitio Lamsalo, Barangay Upper Suyan
in Malapatan, Sarangani while on a casualty evacuation mission at 9:40 a.m. on
Saturday.
The chopper was supposed to evacuate a slain soldier and
five others wounded during the encounter in Sitio Datal Kampong, Barangay Upper
Suyan at 12:30 noon on Friday.
In a phone interview yesterday, Col. Rony Villanueva,
commander of 1002nd Infantry Brigade, said while the troops were approaching
the landing zone, they encountered a strong wind.
“The helicopter was pushed to the limits because of the
narrow landing zone prepared by our troops,” he said. “They are supposed to
insert supplies to the troops.”
Onboard the helicopter were two pilots, the two-member crew
and five soldiers of the 73rd Infantry Battalion, whose names are witheld.
“When the chopper was near the ground, the troops and crew
jumped which is why they sustained fractures,” he said. “But the pilot got the
worst of the injuries although the still managed to crawl out.”
The injured were brought to the Socsksargen Hospital
Capt. Alberto Caber, spokesperson of Eastern Mindanao
Command, said they already dispatched additional helicopters from the Tactical
Operations Group (TOG-XI) in the ongoing evacuation and rescue operations.
Villanueva said the troops encountered the NPAs under alias
Dodong of Guerilla Front 71 in Far South Regional Committee.
“While they were approaching the encampment of NPA, the
rebels were already in defensive position and laid down landmines which caused
injury to the troops,” he said.
Villanueva said that last Nov. 1, the soldiers were already
attacked by the same group of rebels who wanted to stop the ongoing
construction of school building in Sitio Akbal, Upper Suyan in Malapatan.
“The troops of 73rd IB serve as security when they were
attacked,” he said.
http://mindanaotimes.net/chopper-crash-almost-became-fatal-officer/
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