Photo from https://web.lsgh.edu.ph/lasalle/
MANILA, Philippines — A prayer vigil for Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo has begun at the National Shrine of the Divine Child in the La Salle Greenhills campus Saturday night, amidst search and rescue efforts for the Cabinet member whose plane crashed off the waters of Masbate earlier in the day, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.
He asked for prayers for the successful rescue of the DILG chief and urged the public to join the vigil at “LSGH and join their fellow citizens at this time of deep concern. We ask that you keep the family of Secretary Robredo and those engaged in rescue efforts in your prayers as well.”
Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas said that they have accepted the offer of a United States survey team in the rescue efforts to locate Robredo and two others.
He tweeted that the team offered by US Naval Attache Captain Jack Sutherland was on its way to the crash site from Cavite.
More rescue personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard were en route to Masbate, according to its spokesman Lieutenant Commander Algier Ricafrente. Authorities are eyeing engine trouble as the cause of the crash of the Piper Seneca plane.
Authorities said that Robredo’s aide, Superintendent Jun Abrazado, was able to slip out of the plane when it broke in half.
Chief Superintendent Arne delos Santos said that they have yet to confirm information received by the family of the DILG secretary that he has been rescued by fishermen.