President Aquino talks to foreign volunteer divers as they prepare to join the search and rescue operation for Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo at Sitio Boulevard, Barangay Ingay, Masbate City, on Monday. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO.
MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III has arrived in Masbate, following the retrieval of the bodies of Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo and two others.
Television reports said that Aquino has arrived at the Masbate Airport accompanied by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Presidential Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang.
Technical divers were able to retrieve the remains of Robredo, Captain Jessup Bahinting, and Nepalese flight student Kshitiz Chand from the overturned fuselage of the ill-fated Piper Seneca plane Tuesday morning.
From Masbate, Robredo’s body which has been placed in a metal coffin, will be flown via to his hometown, Naga City.
Aquino was in Masbate City from Sunday to early Monday to personally oversee the search and rescue operations for Robredo. He went to Manila late Monday, in preparation for the 29th death anniversary of his slain father, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.