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Aquino orders CAAP to investigate VIP plane incident in Tacloban Airport
President Benigno Simeon Aquino III (Photo by Ryan Lim / Malacanang Photo Bureau)
MANILA — President Benigno Aquino III has ordered the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to look into the reason behind the overshooting of a plane carrying 15 people including several Cabinet members at the runway of Tacloban Airport Saturday afternoon.
“The President was happy to hear that all on board were safe and directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to investigate whether the proximate cause of the incident was weather-related or otherwise,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.
Lacierda said among the passengers of the plane are Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa, Jr., Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr., Undersecretary Emmanuel Bautista and Undersecretary Serapio.
He said eight other staff members and three crew members were also inside the plane.
He said these people “were on hand in Tacloban to ensure that the activities of Pope Francis in Tacloban and Palo would go as planned,”
“All 15 passengers and crew members are all safe and suffered no injuries. The families of those on board have also been assured that their loved ones are safe,” he added.
The plane took-off several minutes after Pope Francis’ plane flew to Manila past 1 p.m.
