AFP identifies 7 of 49 soldiers killed in C-130 crash —Sobejana

At least seven military personnel who died in the crash of C-130 in Sulu have already been identified, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Cirilito Sobejana said on Tuesday.

Interviewed on CNN Philippines, Sobejana admitted the challenge in identifying the cadavers since they were burned beyond recognition.

“Yung mga cadavers are beyond recognition dahil sunog na sunog po sila dahil hindi sila nakalabas noong sumabog ‘yung C-130. So far, pito na po ‘yung na-identify,” he said.

(The cadavers were beyond recognition because they were really burned, they were not able to get out of the C-130 when it exploded. So far, we have identified seven.)

Sobejana said that six of them were presented to President Rodrigo Duterte at the covered court of the Naval Forces Western Mindanao during his visit.

He said that DNA and dental records were being utilized to determine the identity of the burned cadavers of the soldiers.

According to him, they sought help from other experts to augment the AFP team in identifying the remains considering the large number of cadavers.

As of Monday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the death toll from the Sulu C-130 plane crash is 52 including 49 soldiers and three civilians . At least 47 servicemen and four civilians were injured.

Lorenzana ordered a full investigation into the incident.

The black box or flight data recorder of the C-130 aircraft that was already recovered. Sobejana said the conversations in the cockpit can be retrieved from the black box.

“Malalaman natin kung ano yung magiging conversation doon sa cockpit.”

On Sunday, a Philippine Air Force C-130 was about to land in Barangay Bangkal, Patikul in Sulu when it crashed at 11:30 a.m.—AOL, GMA News