Published July 7, 2021, 1:43 PM
Everything seemed pretty normal when Private First Class Nathaniel Bongcayao boarded the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) last Sunday, July 4. He was even caught filming a “Tiktok” video prior to their boarding, perhaps adrenaline rushing into his body out of excitement.
Private First Class Nathaniel Bongcayao poses in front of a C-130 military plane moments before it crashed in Patikul, Sulu on July 4, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Sky-Shine Padilla)
Little did he know that moments later, that same adrenaline would force him to make the biggest jump of his life as cries of agony and pleas for help from his comrades drowned the sound of a burning aircraft.
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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.