Air Force lost 2 ex-pilots in Afghan plane crash
Co-pilot of crashed plane near Kabul an ex-PAF vice chief
MANILA, Philippines - The co-pilot of the cargo plane that crashed near Kabul in Afghanistan on October 13 has been identified as a former vice commander of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Thursday that the plane’s co-pilot Rene Badilla was among the 6 Filipinos killed in the plane crash.
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| Composite image of Henry Bulos and Rene Badilla, pilot and co-pilot of crashed plane in Afghanistan |
ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau earlier identified the Filipino pilot of the crashed plane as Henry Bulos, who also served in the PAF.
The PAF has acknowledged the loss of its 2 former members.
“The Philippine Air Force regrets the loss of our former service members MGen Rene Badilla (Retired) and Capt. Henry Bulos who have served our country courageously and valiantly. Our hearts condole with their families as they go through this difficult time,” a PAF statement said on Thursday.
A report on the website of PAF’s 15th Strike Wing describes Badilla as a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1975 and the Philippine Air Force Flying School in 1976.
He served with PAF units including the “220th Airlift Wing where he performed missions all over the country providing logistical support to the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] including the 15th Strike Wing,” according to the report.
Badilla retired a major general in 2009 after “a slow but steady climb through the ladder of leadership of the Philippine Air Force,” said the report.
'A very skilled pilot'
Former Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy director-general Geary Barias was Badilla’s PMA classmate or "mistah".
Barias said he was shocked to learn of the death of his former classmate and friend.
"He was a very competent and very professional officer, very skillful. In fact, talagang magaling na piloto... He was a loyal friend and a very loyal also member of the class,” said Barias.
Barias, also a former Metro Manila police chief, said Badilla might have missed flying so he worked again.
"He loved his career as a pilot. In fact, he is still young. Pag retire niya mga 56 and there are still a lot of commercial pilots flying at that age,” said Barias.
Bulos, meanwhile, was described as a graduate of the PAF Flying School in 1986 and flew commercial planes after he resigned from the PAF.
The other Filipino fatalities in the plane crash were identified by the report of the Philippine embassy in Islamabad as crewmembers Nilo Medina and Ibelo Valbuena. There were also two unidentified Filipinos, a certain Mr. Castillo (mechanic) and a certain Mr. Padora (avionics).
6 Pinoys undocumented
DFA spokesperson Ed Malaya said the 6 Filipinos are undocumented, which means they entered Afghanistan through illegal means as there is an existing ban on overseas Filipino workers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"We would like to see a situation where there is more observance of the ban," he said..
Although the crash victims are undocumented, the DFA assured their families that it will help in the repatriation of the 6 Filipinos’ remains.
He added that the DFA wants to remind the public of the existing ban on the deployment of OFWs in the 2 countries.
He said the ban should be followed.
According to the embassy, an Indian and a Kenyan died along with the 6 Filipinos in the plane crash.
The embassy said the fatalities were flying a cargo plane owned by Trans Afrique of Ghana that was contracted by US firm National Air Cargo.
The plane was enroute from Bagram Air Base to Kabul Airport when it crashed near Kabul.
A joint Afghan-international security force is now conducting a search and retrieval mission in the area.
The DFA Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs has directed the embassy to help and coordinate with the victim’s employers for the repatriation of the Filipinos’ remains and ensure the entitlement of their benefits. With reports from Gretchen Malalad and Sheryll Mundo, ABS-CBN News, ABS-CBN Middle East News Bureau and Agence France-Presse
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Class of Capt Bulos
He belongs to PAFFS Cl 89. This report is wrong.
Solution not BAN is needed for Undocumented OFWs
not until poverty & lack of work opportunities are properly addressed, our gov't cannot prevent pinoys from going abroad even if it means going to an extremely critical location. BAN is not a solution! in fact, it only aggraviates and add i...njury to the already "injured" situation by giving way to undocumented travels of OFWs working abroad. we need a better alternative than a "boxed idea" of banning locations. we should always bear in mind that where job opportunity and better life for families back home are assured, we can only expect our pinoy workers to be there working upfront. yes, we often heard others saying why go beyond what is permitted by our laws..however, are there any alternatives provided to us from being restricted beyond that..may we not only stop, be happy & proud about the worldclass performances. we have our bayaning pinoy - the real juan dela cruz who is working hard, even doubling his efforts just to be recognized as a competent "worker" from the 3rd world region, who can very well perform world class job given our prayers & support. i humbly salute to the 6 UNDOCUMENTED pinoys who died in tragic. may your souls rest in peace.
WE ARE GLOBAL WE ARE THE WORLD
WE ARE GLOBAL WE ARE THE WORLD
not valid for travel to Afghanistan
says our passport, but we meet
there our needs for HONEST bread
and adventure, a verboten need to SERVE
those in need. WE GO where God needs His heroes
where Angels fear NOT to tread.
The heart sings and laughs in silence everytime
it feels worthy and noble to do others
service unnoticed defiant of the odds
until death fills the void the eyes overflow
with tears.
Why do we grieve more now that
we find that there seems to be life
after corruption, now that we realized
that the God in us must die somehow
battling the evil that haunts mankind.
Why? We are the world who dies
and lives to know not the reasons why.
We feel it more now like a pain
searing the bone everytime for as
little as bread, for deeds misunderstood
for service render unto God's miseries
Filipino lives are sacrificed.
WE ARE THE WORLD MR. BASTERD
WE ARE THE WORLD MR. BASTERD
by Inglorious Basterd on Fri, 10/15/2010 - 02:09
Salut to these two Ex-Air Force officers, who unlike
some of their comrades who have become rich after
joining the armed forces, retired at ages where they
can still provide for their families and chose to work
and earn DECENT income in Afghanistan. It is sad
though that because of the Philippine Government's
bullcrap drama of still imposing the ban here in
Afghanistan, more than 8000 Filipinos working in
this country are likely to suffer untimely repatriation,
back to the country where they can't get a comfortable
(not even rich) way of living for themselves and their
loved ones. If this so happens, it's like you put this
more than 8000 people in a plane crash, just like
what happened to our 6 compatriots.
Their dreams and future will disappear
-----
Mr. Basterd, you said it right and hard
but I will say it another way.
nasaan na
nasaaan na yung mga bata ni teddy casinyo, liza maza at gagung satur ocampo, o anu na mag rally na kau sisihin nyo na naman si noynoy diba kasalanan nya naman to,, hallerrrr
nasaan na
nasaaan na yung mga bata ni teddy casinyo, liza maza at gagung satur ocampo, o anu na mag rally na kau sisihin nyo na naman si noynoy diba kasalanan nya naman to,, hallerrrr
Rest In Peace
Should have joined the Magdalo group for a better future, one is a senator while the rest will be freed with secured jobs served in hot plate courtesy of sir PEENoy!
pustahan ..KASALANAN ULI YAN
pustahan ..KASALANAN ULI YAN NI NOY NOY at dapat mag patawag ng imbestigasyon hehehehhe
Salut to the Filipino Heroes in Afghanistan
Salut to these two Ex-Air Force officers, who unlike some of their comrades who have become rich after joining the armed forces, retired at ages where they can still provide for their families and chose to work and earn DECENT income in Afghanistan. It is sad though that because of the Philippine Government's bullcrap drama of still imposing the ban here in Afghanistan, more than 8000 Filipinos working in this country are likely to suffer untimely repatriation, back to the country where they can't get a comfortable (not even rich) way of living for themselves and their loved ones. If this so happens, it's like you put this more than 8000 people in a plane crash, just like what happened to our 6 compatriots. Their dreams and future will disappear.
Bakit mo naman idadamay ang gobyerno sa pagkamatay ng
mga pinoy na ito ? Kaya nga merong ban dahil bawal!! Alam mo ba ang ibig sabihin ng BAN ? Tayo kasing mga pinoy, ang gustong gawin ay salungat sa tamang asal... bawal tumawid ng kalsada... pero andaming tumatawid! Bawal magtapon ng basura ... makikita mo tambak ng basura sa mismong lugar na merong nakasulat na bawal! Bawal ganito, bawal ganon... pero ginagawa pa rin. Tapos, pag may nangyari, kasalanan ng gobyerno ? wakanga... hindi ko sinisisi ang mga namatay na pinoy na ito, pero alam nila ang kanilang pinasok. Isa itong aksidente na posibleng human error din... huwag niyo namna idamay ang gobyerno!!