Panelo: Gamboa incident won’t stop ‘fatalistic’ Duterte from using chopper

MANILA, Philippines — The chopper crash on Thursday morning involving Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Archie Gamboa and other ranking police officials will not stop President Rodrigo Duterte from using helicopter when traveling.

“You know naman si President eh. The President always says ‘if it’s my time, it’s my time.’ (He’s) fatalistic eh,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

Gamboa was on board a helicopter, along with PNP spokesperson B/Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP comptrollership chief M/Gen. Jovic Ramos, PNP intelligence director M/Gen. Mariel Magaway, pilot Lt. Col. Zalatar, co-pilot Lt. Col. Macawili, Senior Master Sergeant Estona, helicopter crew, and Capt. Gayramara, Gamboa’s aide, when the aircraft crashed minutes after it lifted off past 8 a.m.

All the passengers survived the crash and were rushed to a local hospital.

Initial reports indicate that the chopper got tangled with a high-tension wire due to poor visibility.

According to Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, the helicopter carrying Gamboa and the police officials is “brand new” and was procured during his time as PNP chief.

Gamboa was transferred from a Laguna hospital to St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City while two police generals, Magaway and Ramos, remain unconscious and are in critical condition.

Panelo also said that Duterte is “most likely” to visit Gamboa in the hospital.

EDV