Marquez on failed AFP relief mission: 'We are so sorry'
Bad weather was the reason for Saturday's foul-up of a planned aerial relief mission in Southern Iloilo. Bad foggy weather conditions, that is, and not a standing order for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) here to prioritize "Very Important Persons (VIPs)."
Added to it were "security reasons," albeit not immediately clear on further specifics.
At any rate, the AFP through Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, commanding officer of the 3rd Civil Relations Group apologized for the 'incident.'
The AFP is "very sorry," Captain Marquez told The News Today (TNT) while stressing that it was purely weather and security reasons too, that caused the "no-show" of expected military helicopters. Both the US visiting forces in town for announced humanitarian missions and counterparts with the AFP particularly the Philippine Army were expected and set to take care of Southern Iloilo flood victims Saturday.
The scheduled 1 p.m. drop-off never happened leaving some 1,000 beneficiaries and local officials wondering what happened to the relief goods, the Americans and the Filipino soldiers.
"It's not the VIPs at all. It was on the security aspect of the Seahawk (helicopters) and contributory factor that added was bad weather to Southern Iloilo," Captain Marquez in a text message clarified. "Even the food supply to Barangay Bobon and Barangay Camandag in Leon (town) were not dropped because I myself can't see the landing zone. I am really sorry... it's beyond our control."
By late afternoon though after numerous calls were made to higher-ups by First District Representative Janette Loreto-Garin, an AFP helicopter showed up and managed to at least make two trips.
By then, hundreds of the victims already left as the lady solon made arrangements to hire a private helicopter to do the job the next day.