ATO grounds all Bell-407 choppers

The Air Transportation Office (ATO) grounded yesterday all Bell-407 helicopters following the crash Friday afternoon of such an aircraft, leaving six people dead including the mother of Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes.

ATO chief Adelberto Yap said the order was based on repeated complaints of pilots over alleged mechanical defects of the helicopter.

Yap said that on Friday morning he had written a letter to helicopter maker Bell Corp. relaying the numerous complaints of pilots who pinpointed supposed defects in the aircraft’s rotor.

"I informed the US-based Bell Corp. of the numerous complaints of pilots, primarily on their common observation that whenever they fly the Bell-407 type of helicopter, they feel as if the rotor blades are about to disengage," Yap said.

Yap lamented that on the afternoon of the day he wrote the letter, a Bell-407 helicopter, owned by the JAKA Group of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, crashed in Palawan and killed all its six passengers.

The Bell helicopter (RP-2345) crashed into a watershed at Sitio Mabugay, Barangay Manalo in Puerto Princesa City.

Authorities identified the victims as Lualhati Reyes, mother of the Palawan governor, pilot Capt. Rene Marukot, mechanic Rodolfo Jastiva, and provincial employees Ramil Miraflores, Jun Sta. Cruz and Modesto Hilongos.

Yap said the Bell helicopter had just returned from San Vicente town where its passengers monitored the canvassing of votes. The pilots managed to send a distress call, reporting engine trouble, before the chopper went down at 4:20 p.m.

A military Sikorsky-76 helicopter which was sent to retrieve the bodies of the victims also crashed as it was taking off for its return trip to the 57th Tactical Wing in Bautista Air Base, killing its seven-man crew.

Pilot Capt. Jesus Tablada, co-pilot Lt. Rizza Simon, paramedics Airmen First Class Mario Datu, Capts. Vicente Castillo and Warren Lim were killed instantly. Dr. Christopher Blanco and one Sgt. Nemesio died on their way to the hospital.

Yap stressed that authorities are still probing the crash of the civilian chopper amid reports that it gassed up at El Nido in northern Palawan where pilots suspect adulterated aviation fuel is sold.

The crash of the Sikorsky-76, on the other hand, will be probed by the Air Force which is looking into the possibility that the chopper crashed due to overloading or pilot error.

Air Force spokesman Col. Lino Lapinid said the Sikorsky could accommodate only seven passengers but it took on board the bodies of two victims of the Bell crash.

But Lapinid also said the chopper hit a high-tension power line which pilot Tablada may not have seen because it was already dark. The Sikorsky went down at around 7:50 p.m.

Sinister forces?

Meanwhile, Palawan Gov. Reyes claimed "sinister forces in Palawan" are behind the crash of the Bell helicopter which was ferrying his mother, friends and co-workers.

"My family and I are deeply saddened by the tragic events that happened yesterday. Our hearts are bleeding and grieving over the senseless death of my mother, along with my loving friends, dedicated co-workers, helicopter crew and Air Force men. I can accept this as God’s will," Reyes said in a statement.

"However, the nagging suspicion based on reports that sinister forces may have been responsible for this tragedy is difficult to ignore, considering that they apparently have no respect for the value of human lives," he said.

Reyes assumed the duties of Palawan governor after then Gov. Salvador Socrates was presumed to have died in an airplane crash on July 2 last year. His body was never found.

Reyes, who is running under the Lakas-NUCD ticket, said his campaign workers uncovered a plot to kill him a week before election day.

Lakas-NUCD executive director Joey Rufino said they were looking into reports that the helicopter was shot at before it exploded.

Reyes said one of his political rivals, whom he refused to identify, hatched an assassination plot, called Oplan Azreel, which was to be effected once a trend in his favor emerges.

As of May 18, the partial and unofficial tally from the municipal board of canvassers showed Reyes leading with his 105,838 votes, followed by Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn with 73,318 votes and Rep. Alfredo Abueg with 39,932 votes.

Reyes said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the military intelligence and local authorities are now investigating the crash and looking into the possibility of sabotage.