Sulu plane crash survivor mourns deaths of fellow soldiers

One of the survivors of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) plane crash in Sulu could not hold back his tears as he mourned the deaths of his fellow soldiers.

In Marisol Abdurahman's Monday "24 Oras" report, Private Benjamin Obod Jr., who was badly burned from the crash, was weeping over the death of 50 fellow servicemen, all of whom he treated as family.

"Hindi namin sila malilimutan," said Obod. "Halos magkapamilya na kami."

(We will never forget them. We are already like a family.)

Before the crash, Obod and his compatriots were excited to arrive in Sulu for their next assignment after finishing their training on June 23.

Their unit morale was also evident when they gathered together inside the plane just before it crashed.

"Malakas yung impact talaga kasi dumilim ang paningin tapos ang tropa 'di namin makita," he said as he recounted what happened

(Everything went dark because of the impact of the crash. I could not see my fellow soldiers.)

Before the crash, Obod said they were all shouting: "Lord, God, Lord, God, Jesus Christ."

Another crash survivor, Sergeant Abud Asmawil, has been serving in the military for 20 years. He was burned on his face, feet, and hands because of the crash.

Just before it crashed, Asmawil noticed that the plane's movement was irregular.

"Iba na ang lipad niya, gumegewang," he said.

(It was flying unusually. It was swaying back and forth.)

For Private First Class Ganney Ligayan, he thought the plane would not crash because the pilot slammed the brakes before landing.

"Nag-brake pa 'tas umangat pa ulit. Pagtingin ko sa bintana may mga kahoy na," he said.

(The airplane braked and lifted again. I looked out the window and saw trees.)

Ligayan lost consciousness when the plane crashed. When he woke up, already seeing there were fires around him.

Several of the survivors are being treated at the Western Mindanao Command's Camp Navarro Hospital in Zamboanga City. Other victims are still being treated in private hospitals in the province.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said human error and weather conditions might have caused the crash. He added that the pilot may have committed lapses.

"Combination of the two. May hangin sa likod, kaya mabilis. May hangin sa likod kaya tinutulak," Lorenzana said.

(There was a tailwind so there may have been too much airspeed. The tailwind was pushing them.)

"Baka may hindi siya nagawa," Lorenzana added, referring to the pilot.

(Maybe he failed to do something.)

The Defense Secretary said that the aircraft was new and was delivered to the military in January this year.

The C-130 plane crash on Sunday left 53 people dead and 46 people injured, according to the Philippine military's latest figures.

Lorenzana ordered a full-blown investigation into the incident. — Consuelo Marquez/DVM, GMA News