President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. paid tribute to the fallen Philippine Air Force (PAF) personnel on Friday, visiting the PAF Mortuary at Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base to honor their service and sacrifice following a fatal helicopter crash in Agusan del Sur earlier this week.
The victims were identified as pilots Captain Paulie Dumagan and Second Lieutenant Royce Louis Camigla; and aircrew members Sergeant Yves Sijub, Sergeant John Christopher Golfo, Airman First Class Ericson Merico, and Airman Ameer Khaidar Apion.
They were part of a Super Huey crew conducting Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) operations in areas affected by Typhoon “Tino” when their aircraft went down.
PAF Acting Vice Commander Major Gen. Pablo Rustria and other senior Air Force officials welcomed President Marcos, who serves concurrently as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
During the solemn visit, he personally extended his condolences to the bereaved families of the late servicemen.
The remains of Dumagan and Camigla currently lie in repose at the PAF Mortuary, while those of Golfo and Merico have been brought home to their respective provinces.
President offered prayers and paid tribute to the courage and dedication of the fallen airmen, recognizing their selfless devotion to duty and their ultimate sacrifice in the service of the Filipino people.
“We mourn the loss of our brave men of the Philippine Air Force who gave their lives in the line of duty, serving our people and our nation until their final moments. Their courage and selfless service in bringing aid to those in need will never be forgotten,” Mr. Marcos said.
