Senator Loren Legarda’s Statement on the PAF Helicopter Crash Incident

My deepest condolences to the families and comrades of the airmen who died in the aircraft crash in Agusan del Sur while in the line of duty performing humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations to those affected by Tropical Storm Tino.

As an officer of the Philippine Air Force Reserve, I share in the sorrow of losing gallant men who wore their uniform with pride and valor, placing the welfare of the people we serve above their own comfort and safety.

Their final mission will be remembered as a flight carried out with courage and compassion, all for the love of country and humanity. The sacrifice they made will never and should never fade into silence, for they are the ones who quietly chose to care without hesitation, setting aside their own fears so they could be a source of hope and strength for others in the most difficult times.

To the families, my prayers are with you. Sorrow and grief are forms of love that words often cannot contain. Coping with this loss is not easy, and I know that no comfort can ever fill the spaces your loved ones left behind, but may you always find solace knowing that their lives were not in vain and that their heroism has given greater significance to the faith and sense of purpose we hold as a nation.