Westmincom pays tribute to fallen airmen

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 17, 2020): Westmincom pays tribute to fallen airmen (By Teofilo Garcia, Jr.)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The military’s Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) accorded departure honors Thursday to three of four airmen who died in a helicopter crash in Basilan province.

Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of Westmincom, led the send-off ceremony held at the Col. Edwin Andrews Air Base here.

Vinluan was joined by Brig. Gen. Cresenciano Marquez III, Tactical Operations Wing-Western Mindanao commander, and Brig. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, Westmincom deputy commander for administration.

Accorded departure honors were Maj. Jessie Miller, 1st Lt. Mack-ar Ferrer, and Staff Sgt. Miguel Bañas Jr.

The three, along with Airman 2nd Class Benedicto Leal Jr., died in an air mishap Wednesday afternoon in Barangay Upper Manggas, Lantawan, Basilan.

They were on a medical evacuation mission and were supposed to pick up patients in Jolo, Sulu to be taken to Camp Navarro General Hospital when the S-76A helicopter they were aboard crashed into a rubber plantation in Manggas, Lantawan.

The helicopter was piloted by Miller, with Ferrer as co-pilot and Bañas and Leal as crewmen.

Lt. Col. Alaric delos Santos, Westmincom information officer, said military honors will also be rendered to Leal before his remains are transported to his hometown in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.

“Team Westmincom commiserates with the family of the fallen airmen who dedicated their lives in serving their fellow Filipinos,” Vinluan said. “Our salute to Maj. Miller, 1st Lt. Ferrer, Staff Sgt. Bañas, and A2C Leal for their gallantry and heroism."

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1115778