Army, local officials search for missing plane in Sultan Kudarat-Maguindanao mountains

COTABATO CITY – An
unidentified private plane was reportedly crashed Sunday noon in the borders of
Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao provinces.

Military and local officials said
search and rescue teams have been sent in the hinterland borders of Esperanza and
Lebak, Sultan Kudarat.

Brig. Gen. Noli Orense, deputy
division commander of the 6th Infantry Division, said two Air Force
Huey Helicopters have been dispatched to the mountains but have not found the
missing aircraft.

Quoting farmers in the mountains
of Barangay Flamingo, Esperanza, Mayor Helen Latog said residents of Barangay
Marquez heard a loud mid-air explosion at past 11 a.m.

The reports are still sketchy. The Armed Forces had also
dispatched helicopters to check on reports,” he Orense toldreporters.

Reports spread in the social media that a Cebu Pacific plane en
route to Gen. Santos City from Manila crashed in the mountains of
Esperanza. Cebu Pacific, in a statement,
has denied the report. In a statement on its website, Cebu Pacific Air said that all of its planes are accounted for.”? No flight involved in reported incident in Sultan Kudarat today. All flights accounted for,” CebPac said. Latog quoted residents as saying a
mid-air explosion occurred and they saw what appeared to be a smallplane diving in the Daguma ranges
of Sultan Kudarat.

The Esperanza search and rescue team was composed of medical
workers from the town’s health office.

Fidel Suganob of Lebak, Sultan Kudarat said there was a heavy
downpour at about noon Sunday in the mountains of Lebak and Esperanza in Sultan
Kudarat. The downpour lasted from 11
a.m. to about 2 p.m.

No confirmation yet, no plane or debris has been found, our
troops on the ground are yet to reach the reported crash site,” Capt. Joann
Petinglay, speaking for the 6th ID said. (Edwin O. Fernandez)