PNP officer a victim of US air collision
(UPDATE) A FILIPINO police colonel was among the fatalities in the midair collision between an American Airlines jetliner and a United States Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Friday.The PNP identified the officer as Col. Pergentino N. Malabed, chief of the PNP Supply Management Division.Malabed's "untimely passing is a profound loss to the PNP, where he served with honor, integrity, and dedication throughout his career," it said.Based on information from PNP officials, Malabed had flown to the US from the Philippines on Jan. 22, accompanied by a non-commissioned officer and a non-uniformed personnel, for a pre-delivery inspection of the armored vests bought by the PNP Directorate for Logistics. Malabed was later instructed to pay a courtesy call on Col. Moises Villaceran, the country's police attaché in Washington.The American Airlines plane was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport late Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time) when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter.The collision sent both aircraft tumbling into the icy Potomac River.There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the jetliner, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.Authorities in Washington are still determining the cause of the incident.The Philippine government is coordinating with US authorities to facilitate the repatriation of Malabed's remains.Manila was notified that a body carrying Malabed's passport was recovered from the Potomac, PNP spokesman Col. Randulf Tuano told reporters.Malabed's widow is set to fly to the US to formally identify and claim the remains, Tuano added.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) A FILIPINO police colonel was among the fatalities in the midair collision between an American Airlines jetliner and a United States Army helicopter over Washington, D.C., the Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Friday.The PNP identified the officer as Col. Pergentino N. Malabed, chief of the PNP Supply Management Division.Malabed's "untimely passing is a profound loss to the PNP, where he served with honor, integrity, and dedication throughout his career," it said.Based on information from PNP officials, Malabed had flown to the US from the Philippines on Jan. 22, accompanied by a non-commissioned officer and a non-uniformed personnel, for a pre-delivery inspection of the armored vests bought by the PNP Directorate for Logistics.
Malabed was later instructed to pay a courtesy call on Col. Moises Villaceran, the country's police attaché in Washington.The American Airlines plane was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport late Wednesday night (Thursday Manila time) when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter.The collision sent both aircraft tumbling into the icy Potomac River.There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the jetliner, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.Authorities in Washington are still determining the cause of the incident.The Philippine government is coordinating with US authorities to facilitate the repatriation of Malabed's remains.Manila was notified that a body carrying Malabed's passport was recovered from the Potomac, PNP spokesman Col. Randulf Tuano told reporters.Malabed's widow is set to fly to the US to formally identify and claim the remains, Tuano added.
