Duterte takes wounded soldiers from Mindanao on presidential plane

President Rodrigo Duterte Duterte on Tuesday night lent the Fokker F-28 presidential jet to nine wounded soldiers who needed to be transported from Cagayan de Oro City to Metro Manila.

“I’d like to give notice that as the President has promised, for the use of his presidential aircraft last night on our way back to Manila from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan,” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr. told reporters in Malacañang during the Mindanao Hour.

“Those who were required by our medical professionals to be evacuated to Manila, used the presidential aircraft and other aircraft of the Air Force to be transported to Manila, a fulfillment of his commitment to have the presidential plane used by the soldiers,” he added.

Pres. Duterte jetted 9 wounded soldiers to MNL after he visited Camp Edilberto Evangelista Station Hospital in CDO ????: Palace pic.twitter.com/aftKrtmUiW

— Trisha Macas (@trishamacas) June 20, 2017

In August 2016, Duterte said that he asked Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana to convert the presidential plane into an air ambulance.

It was a follow-up on his statement after he won the elections that he wanted all aircraft assigned to the Presidential Airlift Wing to be turned into air ambulances. —NB, GMA News