The Philippine Air Force's (PAF) investigating team returned to the Nomad plane's crash site in Cotabato City Saturday to interview residents who might be able to describe how the aircraft crashed. Col. Cris Tumanda, commander of the PAF's Tactical Operations Group in Region 12, said the investigating team was able to retrieve all important parts of the Nomad plane at the crash site in Virgo Village, Rosario Heights 9, where at least 2 houses went ablaze after the aircraft's impact. Tumanda said they have started cleaning the Nomad plane's debris. He said that from the recovered part, they will try to find out what went wrong before the Nomad plane, carrying a general and seven other PAF personnel, went down. All PAF personnel on board were killed. A woman, who was just borrowing money from relatives in the village, also died after the crash. Meanwhile, the PAF transported the bodies of five of the eight PAF officers from their headquarters in Villamor Airbase to their respective home provinces Saturday morning. The bodies of Maj. Gen. Mario ‘Butch' Lacson, commander of the PAF's 3rd Air Division in Zamboanga City, Maj. Frisco Tacuboy and 1st Lt. Angelica Valdez remained at the airbase. The other PAF officers killed in the crash were Lacson's aide-de-camp 2nd Lt. Alexander Ian Lipae; staff officers Sgt. Maria Rose Lamera and Sgt. Ian Mejia; the plane's pilot Captain Gaylord Ordonio; and crew chief Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Gozon. The remains of the eight PAF officers were brought to Villamore Airbase via a C-130 plane Friday. They were “solemnly” honored at the airbase's gymnasium, where they were visited by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and top military officials. PAF officials had initially announced that they are looking at mechanical trouble as the possible cause of the crash. Official said plane's pilot was able to contact the Awang Airport's control tower minutes before it crashed and reported that they were experiencing power loss. - ABS
