THE Davao City Government has sent six medical doctors to assist the survivors of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) C130 transport plane crash in Sulu on Sunday, July 4.
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on Monday, July 5, that the volunteer doctors from Southern Philippines Medical Center, who represented the City Government, left for Zamboanga City around 11:50 a.m.
"As help nato (As part our help) as Dabawenyos, we sent six doctors to Zamboanga City to assist ilahang mga doctors didto kung unsa ilahang mga mabuhat para sa mga (to assist their doctor on their needs for the) survivors and those who are injured," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The mayor also said the doctors also brought medical supplies as additional augmentation in treating the injured individuals.
She said they are coordinating with Zamboanga City Government, Davao City's sister city, for additional needs to support the retrieval and recovery operations.
Duterte-Carpio said she has yet to confirm if there were Dabawenyos involved in the plane crash.
In a statement issued by the Davao City Information Office, the Davao City Government will fly the flag at half-mast from July 5 to July 9, 2021 in honor of the soldiers who died after a Philippine Air Force (PAF) C130 transport plane crash-landed in Sulu on Sunday, July 4.
Duterte-Carpio said the City Government offered "its deepest condolences to the families" of those who perished in the tragedy.
"We are also offering our prayers to the survivors. May you find strength and comfort in the millions of Filipinos who share your grief and pain," the mayor said.
More bodies have been retrieved from the crash site in Patikul, Sulu, raising the death toll to 50, the Joint Task Force (JTF) Sulu said in its latest update.
As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, July 4, 2021, all passengers, pilots and crew have been accounted for while search was ongoing for the black box of the ill-fated aircraft.
The JTF Sulu also said 49 military personnel and four civilians were injured.
As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, 31 of the injured military personnel have been transported to Zamboanga City, while 18 were being treated at the KHTB (Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista) Station Hospital.
The casualties were on board a C-130 military aircraft that picked up the newly trained soldiers from Cagayan de Oro City and proceeded to Sulu.
It missed the runway and crashed around 11:30 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Bangkal in Patikul (not Jolo as earlier announced).
Eyewitnesses said a number of soldiers jumped out of the aircraft before it hit the ground and burst into flames.
Troops and civilian volunteers rushed to the site to search and rescue. (With reports from SunStar Philippines)