9 killed in Air Force plane crash in Cotabato, Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - A Nomad plane of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) crashed in a subdivision in Cotabato City late Thursday morning killing 9 people and injuring one.

Lt. Col. Gerardo Zamudio, PAF spokesman, confirmed to ABS-CBN News that Maj. Gen. Mario 'Butch' Lacson, commander of the PAF's 3rd Air Division in Zamboanga City, and 7 other personnel on the plane, were killed in the crash.

This is the raw video of PAF plane crash site at Barangay Virgo in Cotabato City. Courtesy of Nickee Butlangan.




The 7 other PAF personnel who died were:

+ Lacson's staff officer Maj. Prisco Tacoboy;
+ Aide-de-camp 2nd Lt. Alexander Ian Lipae;
+ Sgt. Maria Rose Lamera;
+ Sgt. Ian Mejia;
+ Pilot Captain Gaylord Ordonio;
+ Co-pilot 1st Lt. Angelica Valdez; and
+ Crew chief Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Gozon.

The PAF leadership has already informed the families of the victims about the death of their loved ones.

Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema reported to ABS-CBN News that a civilian on the ground, identified as Inday Mondrano, was also killed in the crash. Another resident named Jela Gumiton was injured.

Brig. Gen. Carlix Donila, wing commander of the 530th Air Base Wing said the pilot of the Nomad plane was able to contact the tower minutes before the plane crashed.

The pilot said the plane was experiencing power loss.

Mechanical failure?

Donila said they are considering the angle that mechanical failure may have caused the crash.

“Reports indicate that the pilot contacted the tower and called that they were experiencing power loss…If we review what [was initially reported], the first thing that will come to our mind is mechanical failure,” Donila said.

Zamudio said the plane took off at 11:35 am, and at 11:37 am, the pilot radioed the tower that they would return to the station. That was the last communication from the pilot.

Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of the military's Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), said the Nomad N22B plane with tail number 18 crashed in Virgo Subdivision in Rosary Heights 9.

Ferrer said Lacson and other PAF officials attended a meeting at the EastMinCom headquarters in Davao City on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Nomad plane left Davao City at around 9 a.m., dropped off Tactical Operations Group chief Col. Cris Tumanda at the Awang Airport in Cotabato City, and was on its way to Zamboanga City when it crashed.

The plane burst into flames right after the crash. The plane crashed landed into at least 2 houses, which also caught fire.

Tumanda said the plane crashed right after take off from Awang airport.

‘Reliable plane’

At a press conference after the crash, Zamudio said PAF chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Ravena ordered the 3 remaining Nomad planes of the PAF grounded. He also formed an investigating team headed by Brig. Gen. Jesus Fajardo, the PAF’s chief of staff.

He said Fajardo and his team were already on their way to Cotabato City to start the probe.

Zamudio said the PAF had a total of 4 Nomad planes. He said all 3 remaining planes are “in good flying conditions.’

Zamudio said the 4 Nomad planes were bought "in mint conditions" in December 1975 and was delivered to the Philippines in 1976.

He said all of the PAF’s Nomad planes are in Mindanao, transporting commanders to remote areas including Jolo, Sulu and Basilan.

Donilo told reporters in Zamboanga City that Nomad planes are “very reliable” since they can land on any flat surface.

“Its primary mission in Australia was to go to remote areas. Even without a runway, they can land. That plane is very reliable,” the PAF official said.

He said that it was just unfortunate that the accident happened.

'Jolly person'

Col. Isagani Silva, one of the Air Force officers under Lacson's command, said Lacson was a very jolly person and a "very considerate" official.

Lacson graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1977. He went straight to flying school in 1978 and graduated the same year.

The PAF official had also served as commander of the 505th Search and Rescue Group. Prior to his assignment to the 3rd Air Division, he was the commander of the 560th Air Base Wing based in Mactan, Cebu.

Donilo told reporters that the 3rd Air Division is "at a loss" after Lacson's passing.

"We have lost a very competent and amiable commander. He is one person you can get along with very easily. We cannot accept the fact that he is already gone as well as the other officers who were with him," he said.

-- With reports from Lerio Bompat, ABS-CBN Central Mindanao and RJ Rosalado, ABS-CBN Zamboanga

When Graphic Artist Get Bored

I found this really amazing picture video clips from youtube, im an artist too, but dont know that when we get bored we can't create wonderful masterpieces? Hehehe...
Special thanks to arsap for this video

Posted in youtube by arsap

Live Theme Performance of Rocky Played by Stallone

Theme from the film Rocky starring Slylvester Stallon "Gonna Fly Now" played by James Last, a live recording from German TV series. Featuring Derek Watkins on lead trumpet, complete with neat guitar and percussion breaks.


(posted in youtube by superlast)

Pants on the Ground...funny but a roaring hit!

Pants on the Ground is now a big hit after Larry Platt sang this song's original version at the American Idol auditions. The song Pants on the Ground even reached as far as Europe and in the United States. Maybe because its fun to sing and the tune is so catchy.

The audition was so funny that it can bring your heart in a mouthful of enjoyment and laugh out load attitude heheheehe. The clip was posted in Youtube and became and instant hit. General Larry Platt. He 62-year old guy from Georgia, Atlanta.

Pants on the ground
Pants on the ground
Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground

With the gold in your mouth
Hat turned sideways
Pants hit the ground
Call yourself a cool cat
Lookin’ like a fool
Walkin’ downtown with your pants on the ground

Get it up, hey!
Get your pants off the ground
Lookin’ like a fool
Walkin’ talkin’ with your pants on the ground.

Get it up, hey!
Get your pants off the ground
Lookin’ like a fool with your pants on the ground







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Interesting Conversation of Faith Versus Science

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, The ALMIGHTY.
He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him.
Most of us would attempt to Help Others who are ill.
But GOD didn't.
How is this GOD Good then ? Hmm ?

( Student is silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ?
Let's start again, Young Fella.
Is GOD Good ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : From . . . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right.
Tell me son, is there evil in this World ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ?
And GOD did make Everything. Correct ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

( Student does not answer )

Professor : Is there Sickness ? Immorality ? Hatred ? Ugliness ?
All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

( Student has no answer )

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you.
Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD ?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD ?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD ?
Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter ?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist.
What do you say to that, son ?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes. Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat ?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold ?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't.

( The Lecture Theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat,
a Little Heat or No Heat.
But we don't have anything called Cold.
We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as Cold.
Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat.
We cannot Measure Cold.
Heat is Energy.
Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

( There is Pin - Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor ? Is there such a thing as Darkness ?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness ?
Student : You're wrong again, sir.
Darkness is the Absence of Something.
You can have Low Light, Normal Light , Bright Light, Flashing Light . . .
But if you have No Light Constantly, you have Nothing and it's called Darkness, isn't it ?
In reality, Darkness isn't.
If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you ?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is Flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how ?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality.
You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD.
You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure.
Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought.
It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.
To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that
Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing.
Death is Not the Opposite of Life : just the Absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor, do you Teach your Students that they Evolved from a Monkey ?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir ?

( The Professor shakes his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument is going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and
cannot even prove that this Process is an On - Going Endeavor,
are you not Teaching your Opinion, sir ?
Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher ?

( The Class is in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever Seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class breaks out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever Heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, Touched or Smelt it ? . . .
No one appears to have done so.
So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that
you have No Brain, sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room is Silent. The Professor stares at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . .
the Link between Man & GOD is FAITH.
That is all that Keeps Things Moving & Alive.


It turned out later that the student is Albert Einstein