Pilot of ill-fated C-130 extra-affectionate on day of crash

Not fond of displaying his affection, the pilot who perished in the C-130 plane crash in Sulu was extra doting on the day of the incident, his relatives recalled Thursday.

In Oscar Oida’s report on “24 Oras,” the cousins of Major Michael Vincent Benolerao said he insisted on seeing his family at the airport before he took off.

“Siguraduhin mo na makapunta kayo sa airport kasi ‘yung gift ko matagal ko na promise sa kanya. Kung hindi ko ito maibigay sa kanya baka matagalan pa uli,” Jayma Maury said.

(He asked me to make sure that we would be at the airport because he promised to give my child a gift a long time ago. He said if he couldn’t give it, it might take longer before he'll get another chance.)

“Tsaka nangulit siya, eh, nangulit siya na isama namin ‘yung mga bata,” Yami Arcol, meanwhile, said.

(He really insisted that we bring the kids.)

Maury said she lamented not hugging and kissing her cousin one last time.

“Wag mo muna ako i-kiss kasi wala akong vaccine, which I deeply regret kasi if I knew that would happen sana niyakap ko na lang siya nang mahigpit at hinalikan ko siya,” she said. 

(Don’t kiss me because I haven’t been vaccinated, which I deeply regretted because if I knew that would happen, I woud have hugged and kissed him.)

Meanwhile, Raphael Benolerao recalled his visit to his older brother in 2018 in the Philippines.

“That moment was special because it was my last day in the Philippines… that moment is so real because, yeah, we’re spending time together this day but in a few hours I would be halfway around the world,” he said.

It was in 2016 when his family migrated to Canada.  However, Benolerao chose to stay in the Philippines to serve in the military.

“We are proud of our brother and we thank him for his service to the Philippines,” his brother said.

The late pilot was planning to marry his fiancee, who is also in Canada.

“I don’t really have any words to describe how painful it is. He is my only brother and he is the first best friend that I have known,” Raphael said.

Maury said it felt like she lost her brother while her children lost their second father.

“Parang naulila din ‘yung mga anak ko, nawalan sila ng second father. Hindi ka lang parang pinsan sa akin… para na tayong magkapatid, best friend. Napaka-sayang. Sabi mo babalik ka pa, hindi ka na bumalik,” she said.

(My children also lost their second father. You’re not only my cousin, you’re also my brother, my best friend. It’s such a loss. You said you would return, but that is no longer possible now.)—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News