ONE of two fighter jets of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) went missing yesterday while en route to Bukidnon to provide firepower to Army soldiers fighting communist rebels.
The two FA-50 jets took off from the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu shortly after midnight for a “tactical night operation,” and one of them lost communication “minutes before reaching the target area,” said Col. Ma Consuelo Castillo, PAF spokesperson.
She declined to specify the target area.
“The other aircraft repeatedly attempted to reestablish contact with the missing aircraft until their return to Mactan, Cebu,” she said.
Castillo said the Air Force has dispatched all available assets to conduct “extensive and thorough search operations” for the two pilots and the aircraft.
She did not identify the pilots who, she said, are “well-qualified…for day and night operations.”
“Our primary concern right now is the safe return of our aircrew,” she said.
She said the two pilots have personal locator beacons but declined to say if the beacons emitted signals.
Search and rescue teams were deployed to Mt. Kalatungan in Bukidnon where the jet might have crashed, said Lt. Gen. Luis Rex Bergante, commander of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command.
“That’s the probable site, crash site … based on the assessment,” he said.
Castillo said the other FA-50 jet accomplished the mission.
The operations went on and the flight went back to Mactan … (It was) a tactical night operation in support of ground troops … It’s part of our regular support to the ongoing operations of our unified commands,” she said.
Army spokesman Col. Louie Dema-ala said FA-50s “were tasked to provide close air support for troops involved in an encounter in Bukidnon.”
Brig. Gen. Michele Anayron Jr, commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said the encounter in Barangay Iba, in Cabanglasan town in Bukidnon involved troops under the 403rd Infantry Brigade.
He said the troops clashed with about 50 rebels, including “key leaders” of the New People’s Army, during a focused military operation.
Anayron could not immediately say the result of the encounter, saying he is still awaiting the official report from the 403rd Infantry Brigade.
“As of now (yesterday afternoon), scouring operations are ongoing,” said
Castillo, asked if the FA-50s in the inventory of the Air Force were grounded as a result of the incident, said, “There is no declaration yet as of now.”
The defense department acquired 12 FA-50 fighter jets from the Korea Aerospace Industries for P18.9 billion under the AFP modernization program. The aircraft were delivered from 2015 to 2017.
The FA-50s are used primarily for external defense operations, the Air Force said.
They are also tapped to conduct operations to support ground troops involved in internal security operations. They figured in the campaign against Maute terror group during the “Marawi siege” in 2017.
