Jesse's family hopeful, but ready for the worst

Manila, Philippines -  Relatives of Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo were still wishing yesterday that he would be found safe after a light aircraft carrying him and three others crashed off Masbate last Saturday.

Robredo’s elder brother Butch also expressed his gratitude yesterday to the public for the outpouring of prayers for the missing official and the aircraft’s pilots.

Butch admitted there was no sign of his younger brother and his companions when search and rescue teams circled the site where the aircraft was believed to have gone down.

“The truth is that we are all wishing but we scoured the place already with the use of a helicopter and speed boats, and we couldn’t find them,” he said in a television interview.

If worse comes to worst, Butch said they would want at least to see the remains of the DILG chief.

Robredo’s others relatives were helping in the search and rescue operations.

“If we can’t have him alive, we’ll consider it a consolation if we can at least give him a proper burial,” Butch said.

The twin engine, six-seater Seneca plane carrying Robredo, his aide Senior Inspector Gil Abrazado Jr., pilot Jessup Bahinting and Nepalese co-pilot Kshitiz Chand took off from Cebu and was about to make an emergency landing in Masbate when it crashed in the waters some 300 meters from the airport.

Abrazado was plucked out of the water with minor injuries.

Butch also said that while his brother may not be a competitive swimmer, he is an above average swimmer with enough skills to swim his way to safety in case he had survived the impact of the crash.

“Jesse can even swim for half a kilometer,” he said.

He also said they have yet to get a clearer picture from Abrazado of what transpired inside the ill-fated plane shortly after it hit the water and before it sank.

Butch said the crash survivor had been giving conflicting statements to people he had talked to, but he stressed they were not blaming him for not pulling the DILG chief out of the aircraft before it sank.

“There were inconsistencies in his statement, perhaps because of his injuries, but the bottom line is he did his best,” Butch said in the television interview. He said he has yet to personally talk to Abrazado.

In one account, Butch said he heard Abrazado say that Robredo was no longer in his seat when he tried to pull him out to safety.

In another account, Butch remembered Abrazado as saying that he tried to unfasten Robredo’s seatbelt but could not do so because of his hand injury and the sudden rush of water.

The inconsistent accounts, Butch said, made them hope that the DILG chief was still alive.

In a separate interview with abs-cbnnews.com, Aika Robredo, eldest daughter of Robredo, said her family is being hopeful but “realistic” at this point.

“We’re all hopeful but of course it’s hard to hope much so we do management of expectations, and we continue praying,” Aika told reporters gathered outside their house in Naga City.

“The four of us (mother Maria Leonor Gerona-Robredo and siblings Patricia and Jillian Therese), we feel the same way, but we are realistic because he’s been missing for three days,” she said.

Outside the Robredo residence is the image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, of whom Robredo is a devotee.

Lawyer Leni Robredo said her family remains hopeful as they brace for the worst.

“He called me up saying the plane had engine trouble and suddenly the phone stops,” Leni said.

She recalled telling her husband not to rush back for the awarding of Jillian, a medalist in a swimming competition.

Aika also thanked those who have been giving continuous support for the family in these trying times.

She also thanked President Aquino for overseeing the rescue operations in Masbate and the Cabinet officials as well, especially Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, who has been with the family since Sunday. – With Celsa Amo