(Eagle News) — The helicopter carrying Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa crashed in a vacant lot in San Pedro, Laguna on Thursday morning, March 5.
Initial reports said that Gamboa and the seven other passengers of the helicopter were already extracted and brought to a hospital.
Among the passengers were PNP spokesperson BGen. Bernard Banac, Police Major Gen. Jovic Ramos, and Police Major Gen. Mariel Magaway.
Footages taken from the crash site showed the crashed helicopter split in half, and in flames. Firemen rushed to the site to douse the flames.
The PNP chief was still conscious when taken out of the chopper. He was brought by an ambulance to the West lake Medical Center. He is now reported to be “okay” and in stable condition, according to the Police Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan who was able to talk to Gamboa at the hospital.
In an interview by DZBB of Police Capt. Edgar Miguel of the PNP Highway Patrol Group, he said that the chopper had just taken off when they heard a loud sound and then saw the chopper going down.
Miguel said that the PNP chief was even concerned about the other passengers of the helicopter when he was first taken out.
He said that some of the passengers were unconscious when taken out. They were likewise brought to the hospital.
The PNP chief was in San Pedro, Laguna to check the new impounding area of the PNP Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG).
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, a former PNP chief, said that as far as he knew, the PNP helicopter used by Gamboa was still relatively new. This was a Bell 429 twin engine eight-seater helicopter.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said that the PNP chief Gamboa was already in stable condition, and will be transferred to another hospital in Metro Manila.
As of 10:30 a.m., Gamboa was already transferred to the St. Lukes Medical Center-Global City in Taguig, for further tests.
But Magaway and Ramos, the two other police generals who were injured in the crash, were reportedly in critical condition. Magaway was brought to the Unihealth hospital, but would be transferred to the Asian Hospital.
General Ramos is still in an unstable condition, while Gen. Magaway’s condition has already improved, according to P/Lt. Gen. Cascolan, PNP Deputy Director for Administration.
