Two police generals in chopper crash still unconscious: PNP

March 5, 2020

Two police generals who were with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco during a helicopter crash in Laguna on Thursday morning are still unconscious.

Police Major Benigno Durana Jr., acting PNP spokesman, told reporters Police Major General Mariel Magaway, director for intelligence and Police Major General Jose Maria Victor Ramos, director for comptrollership, remained unconscious and are under critical condition.

“General Magaway and General Ramos are under critical condition and they are being well taken care of by our doctors based in Laguna... as soon as their condition stabilize, they will be move to a nearer hospital,” Durana said in a chance interview at St. Luke’s Hospital Taguig where PNP chief General Archie Francisco Gamboa is confined.

PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier Bernard Banac, the two pilots, the pilot crew and Gamboa’s aide, were brought to Taguig and are in stable condition.

He said they sustained abrasions and slight injuries.

“We thanked the quick reaction by our police in Calabarzon (region) and our medical personnel,” Durana said.

Durana said Banac asked him to be the acting spokesperson.

Durana said it will depend on the investigation if it will be recommended that the two pilots will undergo re-training.

“They are much trained. They trained in France, United States so they have adequate training. But you know at the end of the day you cannot foresee accident... even a a very good world-class training cannot foresee any accidents,” he said.

Durana said the PNP Command Group and Quad Staff has convened and immediately ordered the temporary grounding of the entire PNP fleet of rotary-wing aircraft as a standard procedure while an investigation is underway.

The PNP maintains seven helicopters, including Airbus H-125, Bell-429, and Robinson R-44 multi-role choppers.

Durana said initial investigation showed their helicopter crash-landed upon take-off at the vicinity of Laperal Compound in Barangay San Antonio, San Pedro, Laguna after accidental contact with overhead power lines.

“The place was dusty, causing zero visibility,” he said.

Police officials were on the Bell-429 helicopter which was brought in 2017.

Gamboa visited the Highway Patrol Group’s new impounding area in San Pablo and is schedule for a command visit in Camp Vicente Lim, Police Region 4-A (Calabarzon) headquarters. Ella Dionisio/ DMS