Briefing of Task Force Kalihim (Search and Rescue Ops for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo) by Maj. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario. Photo from Benigno Aquino’s official Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines – The search and rescue operations resumed on Monday for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and two companions, who have been missing since their plane crashed in the waters off Masbate Saturday.
Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas tweeted that divers have started scouring the depths of the waters to look for signs of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane and its missing passengers.
President Benigno Aquino III, along with Roxas and other government officials, decided to stay in Masbate since Sunday morning to personally oversee the search and rescue operations for Robredo and the two pilots.
The fourth passenger, June Paul Abrazado, Robredo’s aide, survived the crash.
In his witter post Sunday night, Roxas said they will plot the sonar findings collected earlier for the divers’ search pattern.
The divers, he said, will also look for the metal parts with lettering seen Sunday night.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also sent another vessel and more of its divers to help look for the missing.
A Radyo Inquirer 990AM report said that BRP EDSA 2, which had a decompression chamber which will help in deep diving operations, was expected to arrive in Masbate by 8 to 9 a.m. On-board the said vessel are more personnel from the PCG, who are trained for deep diving tasks.
The DILG chief was on his way home to Naga City when the Piper Seneca plane plunged off Masbate waters Saturday at around 5:00 p.m.