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3 Pinoy senior citizens ‘missing’ in China now back in PHL
The three senior citizens who were reported missing in China while on their way to the Philippines from the United States safely landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) over the weekend.
According to Darlene Cay’s report on Unang Balita on Monday, the three, who were stranded in China for almost three weeks, arrived at NAIA late Sunday night.
The three, who are siblings, just came from a five-month vacation in the US.
According to the them, they had a connecting flight to the Philippines in Shanghai, but due to inclement weather the flight was canceled and they ended up at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Hubei instead.
“Hindi namin alam kung kailan kami makakasakay. Hindi sinasabi,” Pacita said.
The three later on learned that they were only chance passengers.
Pacita said they slept at the airport. “May one time na natutulog kami na yakap-yakap namin ang aming baggage. Nagro-rosaryo kami, nagdadasal,” she said.
Pacita said they were asked to stay in a hotel and but were later on told to go back to the airport. “Pinabalik kami sa airport. Wala kaming magawa. Bakit kami pinapabalik-balik? Wala naman tayong rebooking. Di kami nire-rebook,” she said.
Pacita also said airport and airline authorities did not offer them ways to contact their relatives. “None, wala. Ang cellphone expired na ... dahil we have our number in the US because we stayed there for five months.”
“Umiiyak na kami. Papaano namin mako-kontak ang aming pamilya?” she added.
As if that was not bad enough, they found out that some items in their baggage were missing.
“Nung kinuha namin mga baggage namin nakita ko wala na yung susi, tanggal na yung susi. Halos wala nang laman yung aming baggage. Andami-daming nawala,” said Josefina.
Their relatives in the Philippines said China Eastern Airlines provided no information about the situation of the three until several days later. They are now mulling filing a complaint against the airlines.
China Eastern Airlines provided no information about the regarding the three women until several days later, their relatives in the Philippines said.
The company also sent a Filipino representative to help the women with their flight back to the country.
“Siya yung nagbibigay sa amin ng information na nakalapag na, nandito na sila,” said their niece Djoanna Vasquez.
It was a traumatic experience for the three, Vazquez noted as she recalled how her aunts were still shaking in fear as they were having a meal at the NAIA Terminal 1.
“Nanginginig pa sila sa takot. Meron silang trauma ngayon,” she said. “Feeling nila kakatayin na sila doon.”
Currently, the three women are resting at a hotel near NAIA before returning home to San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan.
Their relatives are now mulling about filing a complaint against the airlines.
China Eastern Airlines has yet to issue a statement as of posting time. —With a report by Erwin Colcol/KBK/VDS, GMA News
