No plane crashed in Bulacan, authorities say

No plane crashed into a river in Bulacan, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) there said Wednesday.

 

According to a report on GMA News TV's News TV Live, authorities there spent the night inspecting rivers in the towns of Paombong and Hagonoy to confirm the alleged crash, but they did not see any debris from a plane.

 

The PDRRMO, however, confirmed that a low-flying plane passed by the area, but said it did not crash.

 

Residents of Sitio Pulo in San Roque, Paombong said they saw a white plane flying at the height of only two electric poles between 7 and 8 p.m. Tuesday, the same television report said.

 

According to the residents, they also heard the plane's engine, then saw a red light coming from the nearby waters that seemed like flames. However, they said they did not hear an explosion.

 

In a separate interview with GMA News TV's News to Go on Wednesday, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) spokesman Eric Apolonio said initial information sent to them by local authorities of Hagonoy said a resident called 117 to report the sighting.

 

He affirmed, however, that no plane crashed in Bulacan, adding that they checked both within the CAAP and the Philippine Air Force. 

 

"Walang pong reported na bumagsak, whether it's a commercial or a military air craft. We checked with the our people here sa CAAP, lahat po ng nag-file ng flight plan yesterday, accounted po lahat, meaning nakarating sa destination," he said.

 

He added: "Ang sabi po ng air force, accounted din lahat ng kanilang air craft, meaning walang nawawala."

 

Apolonio also denied previous reports that they confirmed a crash, then took their pronouncement back. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/RSJ, GMA News