PNoy in Masbate to oversee search, rescue ops for Robredo

By Christine Joy Sarmiento

Sunday 19th of August 2012

QUEZON CITY, Aug 19 (PIA) -- President Benigno Aquino III flew to Masbate at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday morning to oversee search and rescue operations for Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and his two companions.

The President’s official Twitter account said Aquino arrived in Masbate on board a C-130 plane.

Cabinet members Mar Roxas of the Department of Transportation and Communications, Florencio Abad of the Department of Budget and Management and Voltaire Gazmin of the Department of National Defense accompanied the President.

President Aquino presided the briefing for the rescue operations launched in search of Robredo.

Sonar equipment from Cebu arrived at 10 a.m. Sunday morning and is now being deployed to aid rescue operations, Roxas said in his official Twitter account.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said the plane, which crashed in the waters of Barangay Ibingay, Masbate, was carrying Robredo, his aide-de-camp PSI Jhun Abrasado, and two pilots, namely: Capt. Jessup Bahinting and Kshitiz Chand, a Nepalese flight student.

PSI Abrasado was rescued by passing fishermen while Robredo and the two other pilots are now subject to search and rescue operations, NDRRMC said.

The vigil for the successful rescue of Secretary Robredo will resume at 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon at La Salle Greenhills, with a Mass scheduled at 5 p.m. Both will be open to the public. (PIA-GHQ)