Bodies of fatalities in chopper crash all recovered - police

(Updated 11:10 a.m.) MANILA, Philippines - The bodies of all eight fatalities in the crash of a presidential helicopter in the boundary of Benguet and Ifugao have been recovered, a police official said Thursday. Chief Superintendent Orlando Pestaño, Cordillera Police regional director, said the remains of the seven victims will be arriving ahead of that of Air Force Sergeant Roe Gem Perez. Perez's body was the last one to be recovered, Pestaño said. Radio dzRH reported early Thursday morning that preparations have started to bring the recovered bodies to Metro Manila before the end of the day. It said local officials were to bring the bodies to Loakan Airport in Baguio City before bringing them to Metro Manila, to the families of the victims. Military information chief Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said the remains of the victims were expected to arrive at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City past 10 a.m. Thursday. Arrival honors were to be given. The bodies will then be taken to the Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory at Camp Crame in Quezon City. Torres also said an overnight wake will be held at the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing hangar before the remains were to be brought to their respective destinations. Meanwhile, President Gloria Arroyo led government officials Thursday morning in paying their respects to the remains of seven of eight fatalities. Radio dzRH reported that the President and other officials attended a Mass in Baguio City where the caskets containing the bodies of the seven fatalities were blessed. Officials present at the Mass included Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Bayani Fernando, Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan, and other local officials of Baguio City and Ifugao province. The eight fatalities in the incident were three Palace officials, three military personnel, and two pilots, all passengers of the Bell 412 presidential helicopter that fell on a heavily forested mountain along the Mt. Pulag range. The wreckage was found on a steep slope within the boundaries of Barangay Tangawan, Kabayan, Benguet and Barangay Eheb, Tinoc, Ifugao. The chopper took off from Loakan Airport late Tuesday afternoon was supposed to go to Banaue town in Ifugao province as advance party for President Arroyo's inspection. Local officials had earlier expressed their condolences to the families of the victims, with local media saddened over the death of Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia. Aside from Capadocia, aboard the aircraft were presidential military aide Brig. Gen. Carlos Clet, Undersecretary for Presidential Engagements and Appointments Malou Frostrom, Presidential Management Staff assistant director Perlita Bandayanon, Navy Petty Officer 1 Demy Reyno, and Perez. The pilots were identified as Major Rolando Sacatani and Captain Alvin Alegata. Meanwhile, relatives of Frostrom have offered a Mass for her in the late official's native Cebu, a radio report said. But radio dzRH reported that Frostrom's relatives did not immediately inform her mother of the fate that befell her. Frostrom's mother reportedly has a heart ailment. - GMANews.TV