Thursday, August 14, 2008 Air Force blames bad weather for soldier's death
THE Philippine Air Force (PAF) said bad weather prevented them from saving a wounded Marine soldier during a firefight in the town of Tipo-Tipo in Basilan Province last Tuesday.
During a press forum at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan, PAF spokesman Gerry Zamudio said a helicopter was sent to rescue Corporal Angelo Abeto, but visibility was so poor then that they had "no choice" but to abort the mission.
Abeto was eventually airlifted by the Sikorsky chopper of the US Special Forces to a nearby hospital, but he died later.
According to Zamudio, he did not know if there was heavy rain during the firefight that resulted in what he described as "near zero visibility."
He said contrary to reports that it took hours for the Air Force to respond to the situation, the helicopter arrived in the area 20 minutes after the request made by the ground commander to the PAF Tactical Unit in Mindanao.
He said UH-IH helicopter was not equipped with radars or sophisticated equipment that will enable it to fly under any weather condition compared to the Sikorsky chopper of the US Special Forces.
"Our choppers have limitations," said Zamudio.
The Air Force official said it was 1st Marine Brigade commander Rustico Guererro who requested that the US chopper be sent to the area to pick Abeto.
Zamudio said the US chopper was under Guererro's "control" at the time.
Television footage disclosed that Abeto was severely wounded during heavy fighting against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) forces in Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
The injured soldier was also seen begging for "medical evacuation" as he lay bleeding while his colleagues comforted and encouraged him to fight for his life, four hours before the US helicopter came to rescue him.
Abeto was part of the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 10 that engaged about 300 MILF rebels in a daylong firefight in Tipo-Tipo. (AH/Sunnex)
