Pilot’s wife says she has accepted husband’s fate
-A A +AWednesday, August 22, 2012
CEBU CITY -- The family of pilot Captain Jessup Bahinting grieved on learning that the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft that Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo rode in has been found in the seawaters off Masbate.
But Bahinting’s wife, Margarita, has accepted her husband’s fate.
“It is very painful but we have to accept the fact that he is dead,” she said.
Margarita’s pain is shared by many relatives, friends and fellow church members who visited the family’s residents in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama urged concerned sectors to ensure that the retrieval operations of Bahinting and Nepalese co-pilot Kshitiz Chand “will be as vigorous” as the search for Robredo.
Rama also urged aviation authorities to conduct regular inspections on commercial and private aircraft.
Competent
His call was echoed by Archbishop Emeritus for Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal.
Vidal also said Bahinting is known by many as a good and competent pilot.
Margarita is being consoled by personnel, instructors and students of Aviator, the aerial tour company and flight school founded by Jessup.
Margarita, a member of the Grace Communion International (GCI), said her faith gave her strength and eased the pain of her loss.
GCI is a Christian group where Jessup was a pastor and supervisor for the Visayas.
“It is by God’s grace that we are able to bear it. I am thankful for the support of our relatives, friends and fellow church members,” Margarita said.
She said her son Dan Bryan and daughter Jemar will be coming home from the United States with other relatives.
The Bahintings’ grandchildren Kernellymay, 17, and Ron Dean, 15, are also with Margarita. They arrived from Bukidnon to spend the long weekend with their grandparents in their resort in Ginatilan, Cebu.
Postponed
Kernellymay told Sun.Star Cebu that they flew on an Aviatours aircraft from Bukidnon to Mactan last Saturday morning.
But Jessup moved their trip to Ginatilan, supposedly last Sunday, because he had to fly Robredo to Naga City.
Cebuanos who have had dealings with Robredo expressed regrets over his death.
Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) chief operating officer Dominica Chua said Robredo was a model of good governance.
“Rafi learned from Naga City, during the leadership of then Mayor Robredo, how to institutionalize people participation in governance,” she added.
Robredo was a speaker in a forum on good governance organized by Rafi in 2008.
Fr. Carmelo Diola of Dilaab Foundation said Robredo’s death is a loss to the crusade for good governance.
Cebu Coalition of People Power Volunteers for Reform chairman Democrito Barcenas expressed condolences to the Robredo family.
“He was honest and dedicated,” he said.
Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the church will pray for Robredo and his family. (EOB/BAP/Sun.Star Cebu)
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on August 22, 2012.
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