Major Emmanuel Makalintal (Photo courtesy of Charis Abella Makalintal)
Lt. Sheena Alexandrea Tato (Photo courtesy of Sheen Tato)
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Gen. Cirilito Sobejana identified Tuesday, July 6, the fatalities as Major Emmanuel Makalintal, the most senior among the three pilots of the crashed airplane; and Lt. Sheena Alexandrea Tato, a military flight nurse.
Sobejana said Makalintal was a “seasoned” pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours on a C-130 plane.
During Pres. Duterte’s visit to the Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NavForWes) headquarters in Zamboanga City on Monday, Sobejana said the Commander-in-Chief bestowed the Order of Lapu-Lapu with a rank of “Kalasag” to six military officers who died in the plane crash, including Makalintal.