CEBU, Philippines - The remains of the late Sgt. Christy “Jingle” Llamera will no longer be brought to the Benito Ebuen Airbase in Mactan, but can instead be viewed by friends at the Cebu Rolling Hills Memorial Chapel along A.S. Fortuna Street in Mandaue City starting today.
Llamera was one of the nine Air Force personnel killed in the tragic incident Thursday when the Nomad plane they were riding crashed at a subdivision in Cotabato City. Also killed were Major Gen. Mario “Butch” Lacson, Maj. Prisco Tacoboy, Lt. Alexander Ian Lipait, Staff Sgt. Ronaldo Mejia, and pilots Capt. Genaro Gaylord Ordonio and 1Lt. Angelica Valdez.
Llamera’s mother, Vicky, said they decided to lay her daughter’s remains at Rolling Hills so their friends and relatives can go their easily. The wake will be until Tuesday.
Vicky told The Freeman they were shocked to hear about the incident and never wanted to believe the news at first. She said it was only until her brother who resides in Davao City went to Cotabato City to personally confirm the report that the information started to sink in.
It was Llamera’s classmate at the Air Force who first relayed the news to Vicky.
The report was confirmed further when Lt. Gen. Reymundo Ferrer, Eastern Mindanao command chief, said he was certain Llamera owned the portion of a camouflage uniform found at the crash site.
Ferrer was on board the plane, but went down in Cotabato City before the aircraft proceeded to Zamboanga City.
“I’m sure this is Christy because I was sitting next to her and she was the only one wearing a camouflage that time,” Ferrer said.
Vicky said she was convincing her daughter to leave the PAF because it is a risky job, but Llamera reportedly stood her ground to establish a career with the Air Force. Her daughter also reportedly could not abandon Lacson because the Air Force general had given her his trust in many cases and assignments.
“Mag sige siya ug ingon nako na ma, ayaw lang kabalaka kay kung unsay gani mahitabo nako,wala man kay problema... mahatagan man sad ka ug recognition,” Vicky quoted her daughter as saying.
The 34-year-old sergeant finished Psychology and Law and was hoping for a promotion should she pass the bar exams she took last year. Results of the exam are expected to come out next month. Llamera served the AFP for more than six years and was first assigned at the 1st Air Division at the Villamor Airbase. It was only last Month that she was transferred to the 3rd Air Division in Edwin Adrews in Zamboanga. — Antoniette T. Pace/JMO (FREEMAN NEWS)