Senate probe sought on PAF helicopter crashes

MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito is seeking a Senate inquiry into the series of crashes of Polish-made helicopters of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Ejercito also called on the executive branch to procure brand new helicopters for the Philippine National Police (PNP), which does not have a single working aircraft for its anti-crime operations.

He cited the crash landing of a PAF Sokol helicopter in Palawan last Nov. 8 carrying PNP officials. No one was seriously injured in the incident.

“There could be something wrong in the procurement process of the DND and the Armed Forces of our military hardware.