AFP saddened by fatal crash in Maguindanao del Sur
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it was disheartened by the fatal crash of a private aircraft contracted by the United States Department of Defense (US DoD) in Maguindanao del Sur last Thursday, Feb. 6.
AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla acknowledged that the aircraft was providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) support for the military when it went down on a rice field in Ampatuan town, killing all four onboard: a US military service member and three defense contractors.
“We extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic crash. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time,” Padilla said on Friday, Feb. 7.
The AFP said the Philippines and US maintain a “strong and longstanding” alliance that is built on mutual trust and cooperation.
“Our collaboration continues to strengthen our capabilities in addressing security challenges and ensuring peace and stability in the region,” Padilla noted.
The US Indo-Pacific Command (Indopacom) earlier said that the aircraft was contracted by the DoD to provide ISR “at the request of our Philippine allies.”
“The incident occurred during a routine mission in support of U.S.-Philippine security cooperation activities,” the Hawaii-based unit stated.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.