Teodoro slams ‘inhuman’ comments on deaths of 4 PAF pilots
“Unacceptable” was how Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. described the “sarcastic and inhuman comments” on social media about the deaths of four Philippine Air Force (PAF) pilots who died in a midair collision during training flights last Friday at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas.
On the sidelines of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operations Training Centers (AAPTC) 13th Annual General Meeting and Workshop 2026 in Makati, Teodoro said the comments were “a slap in the face” to the sacrifices of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“Meron pang nagmamagaling na sinasabing ang lawak-lawak ng himpapawid, nagbanggaan pa raw. Katunayan, nagpapakita lang ito ng kamangmangan,” Teodoro said.
The accident occurred on 23 October during a training flight involving two SF-260 aircraft at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, Batangas.
Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported, prompting the PAF to temporarily ground its SF-260 fleet as a precaution while the investigation continued.
Teodoro explained that tight formation flying is part of military training to develop tactical skills and reduce radar visibility.
While defending the training practice, Teodoro stressed that he was not ruling out possible errors, noting that an investigation was ongoing to determine the cause of the accident.
He also rejected comparisons between the accident and the Philippines’ ability to defend itself against China, stressing that Manila was not seeking war but was standing up for its territory and sovereignty.
“Para ang iba na magko-comment na dito pa lang, ganito na, paano pa sa China? Unang-una, hindi natin ginigiyera ang China, mali na ‘yun. Kamangmangan na ‘yun. ‘Yun nga lang, tumatayo tayo para sa soberanya at teritoryo natin,” Teodoro said.
“Pangalawa, sa kabila ng sakripisyo nitong mga batang ito—‘yung iba nawalan pa ng anak nila o magulang nila—ganyan pa ang maririnig… Ito ay katraydoran na rin sa Republika ng Pilipinas at hindi karapat-dapat tawaging Pilipino ang mga nagsasalita ng ganito sa kabila ng may namatay,” he added.
Thorough investigation
Teodoro has ordered an investigation into the incident, noting that it was the third such occurrence and raising the possibility of a systemic problem.
The official said investigators would examine maintenance records, preserve salvageable aircraft parts, review the pilots’ past performance, and conduct toxicology testing if samples remained available.
“Mati-trace ang maintenance records, kung may hiccup or wala. Kung ganon na delikado na rin ang eroplano, eh di lahat ng lumang vehicles na rin sa kalsada, huwag na rin natin iparehistro. Mga lumang barko, iretiro na rin natin. Mas luma pa nga ang trainers ng ibang armed forces. It doesn’t depend on the age. Although, of course, valid din ang point na kailangan mag-upgrade na tayo. Pero ayokong pangunahan ang imbestigasyon,” Teodoro noted.
“Preservation ng mga piyesa, mga masa-salvage. Hahalughugin ang records. Titingnan ang past performances ng mga piloto na involved. Itotoxicology pa iyan kung meron pang pwedeng maiwan,” Teodoro said.
“Pero sa akin, yung full accident investigation under the Air Force Safety Office ay nandudoon, at kung kailangan ng technical expertise sa ibang mga ahensya or sa partner countries, ito ay bukas,” he said.
Also on Monday, the Department of National Defense (DND) issued a statement mourning the deaths of the four pilots and said the investigation would determine the cause of the accident and identify corrective measures to prevent similar tragedies.