All 8 people on crashed helicopter confirmed dead

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) -- All the eight people, including several aides of President  Arroyo, on an ill- fated presidential helicopter were killed after it crashed in the hills of the northern Philippines, officials said on Thursday.

The bodies of all the six passengers and two pilots have been found on the boundary between the provinces of Benguet and Ifugao, said Chief Superintendent Orly Pestano, a regional police director.

Police officials said that all of the remains -- "mangled and burned" -- have been identified, including those of Brig. Gen. Carlos Clet, President Arroyo's senior military assistant; Press Undersecretary Jose Capadocia Jr.; Marilou Frostrum; the President's appointments secretary; and two other palace officials Demy Reno and Perlita Bandayanon.

Two pilots, identified as Ronaldo Sacatani and Alvin Alegata, and another crew member Roe Gem Perez were also on the air force Bell 412 -- part of the presidential fleet -- that crashed on its flight to Banaue in Ifugao province a day before Arroyo's visit to a road project there. The visit was cancelled after the accident.

The chopper was reported missing shortly after it took off from the northern city of Baguio around 4:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT) on Tuesday and then found crashed on a steep slope in the hills Wednesday afternoon.

Bad weather is being eyed as the reason for the crash, which left the helicopter totally wrecked, but this will still be subjected to a "very thorough" investigation, said Presidential Management Staff Head Hermogenes Esperon.  Philippine Air Force Chief Lt. Gen. Oscar Raben has ordered an investigating team to proceed immediately to Baguio to start the probe.

Esperon, former chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippine, said seven bodies have been initially brought back to Manila as the remains of Roe Gem Perez, not recovered until Thursday morning, would also be flown to the capital city later that day.

"That means we have now recovered all the passengers as well as the pilots and crew, eight of them," he said.

He said that based on the official report, "six bodies were found inside the fuselage, one was immediately outside, and Sgt. Perez was found some 60 meters away from the helicopter."

"We were able to identify all of them," Esperon said.

A teary-eyed President Arroyo attended a mass service for the victims on Thursday morning.

"We mourn the death of our friends and colleagues who died while serving their country. I will miss them so much in my official family," an emotional Mrs. Arroyo said. The president also condoled with family members of the victims.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said that like most people who knew the victims, officials had been hoping till the very end " that there will be survivors."

Meanwhile, Remonde said the President will "most likely" push through with her scheduled trip to Pattaya, Thailand to attend meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) Summit later this week.

Remonde said that the President will attend the vigil for the crash victims to begin Thursday night at the presidential palace.