PNP officers recall ‘cloud of dust,’ spinning before helicopter crash

Two Philippine National Police (PNP) officers recalled how they cheated death and made it out of the helicopter that crashed on Thursday shortly after take-off in Laguna.

In a Friday report on 24 Oras by Marisol Abdurahman, Police Captain Keventh Gayramara, the aide of PNP chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa, said his first instinct was to make sure his boss was able to get out of the helicopter into a safe area.

"Actually, tinulak ko -- kasi sa may bandang side ko siya -- tinulak ko siya pataas kasi may mga nag re-rescue na rin, mga responder. Sabi ko, hilahin niyo dahil hindi na rin ako masyadong makagalaw," he said.

Gayramara said he only left the helicopter after Gamboa got out.

"Ano na rin, siguro, adrenaline na lang din 'yun. Hindi na rin masyadong makahinga gawa ng natamaan siguro 'yung bandang chest ko," he said.

Gayramara said he was sitting on the first row of the helicopter when the accident happened.

Gamboa was on his right while Major General Mariel Magaway was on his left.

He recounted that it was only minutes after the helicopter took off before it appeared to hit an object, causing it to spin in the air before crashing.

Gamboa  was discharged from St. Luke's Medical Center in Taguig City on Friday afternoon.

PNP spokesperson General Bernard Banac, one of the PNP officials aboard the helicopter, will stay confined at the hospital for a few more days.

"Slowly recovering na at medyo masakit pa ang pagkakabugbog ng aking likod pero in time gagaling din ito," Banac said.

Banac recalled there was blinding dust cloud stirred by the helicopter rotor as it prepared for take-off.

"Nag-zero visibility dahil 'yung cloud of dust ay na-envelope na 'yung chopper. Dahil wala namang visibility, walang reference point, from there, nakaramdam ako ng something is not right. Parang nag-banking siya," he said.

"Makapal ang alikabok pero dito sa sides ko, from the third row, 'yun ang na-observe ko," he said.

Upon crashing, Banac said he immediately tried to get out.

"After na nag-stable na 'yung crash, tinanggal ko na 'yung seatbelt ko kaagad, slowly, para lumabas," he said. —Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News