Senator Imee Marcos has filed a resolution to investigate the unadvised landing of a United States Air Force aircraft at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Monday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the presence of the US military aircraft but denied it had anything to do with America’s request for temporary housing for Afghan refugees.
“[A] diplomatic clearance was issued to an aircraft of this type in relation to a bilateral defense cooperation activity,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said.
“It is not related to the request for temporary housing of Afghan SIV [Special Immigrant Visas] applicants, which is still under discussion,” she added.
Marcos, for her part, said the Manila International Airport Integrated Command and Control Center was not given any advisory on the arrival of the said aircraft.
She filed Senate Resolution 667, which questioned the purpose of the arrival of the Boeing C-17 strategic transport aircraft operated by the US military in Manila when its main destination was Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
Upon verification with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), it was revealed that the US Embassy issued an advisory to the DFA that an aircraft registered to the United States military will enter and exit the territorial airspace of the Philippines.
“According to CAAP, the subject aircraft has 9 military crew and one passenger onboard, that the same departed from Guam, and that its destination is Puerto Princesa, Palawan,” Marcos said.
The aircraft landed at NAIA on June 26 at 8:08 am. and departed NAIA at 6:10 p.m. for Palawan. It reached Puerto Princesa at 7:08 p.m
The senator said the aircraft’s arrival in Manila raised several questions, especially since its “true” destination was Puerto Princesa, which also has an international airport
She also questioned why the aircraft stayed at NAIA for 10 hours before departing for Palawan
“In light of the recently revealed US request for the Philippines to temporarily house Afghan Special Immigrant Visa applicants, the continued escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific Region, and the re-emergence of internal security threats, it is crucial for the State to carefully scrutinize the activities of foreign militaries in the country, particularly those which appear questionable or which are shrouded in secrecy,” Marcos said.