Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa narrowly escaped death after being the last passenger dropped off before a fatal helicopter crash over the weekend.
The helicopter, piloted by Julia Flori Monzon Po, daughter of aviation magnate Archie Po, crashed on Saturday, February 1, in Nueva Ecija shortly after departing from Binalonan, Pangasinan.
When asked if he was the last passenger to board the ill-fated helicopter, Dela Rosa confirmed, “Yes.”
He shared that he was picked up in Imus, Cavite, along with two of his security guards, and was dropped off in Baguio for an engagement.
“I did not experience anything unusual,” Dela Rosa said in an ambush interview with reporters, speaking in both English and Filipino. He also mentioned that the weather during the flight was clear.
Dela Rosa learned about the crash through text messages informing him that the helicopter had lost contact.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported that the helicopter had initially departed from Baguio, made a stop in Binalonan to refuel, and experienced difficulty starting, which caused a delay. The chopper took off again at 4:30 p.m., but by 5:20 p.m., local authorities in Nueva Ecija were notified of the crash in Barangay San Miguel, Guimba. Po tragically lost her life in the incident.
The CAAP is currently conducting an investigation, in collaboration with local authorities, to determine the cause of the crash.
