The Philippine Air Force (PAF) investigation team tasked with determining the cause of the FA-50 fighter jet crash earlier this week has finally reached Mt. Kalatungan in Bukidnon, a military official confirmed on Friday.
In a phone interview, PAF spokesperson Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo described the strenuous conditions at the crash site, highlighting the difficulty of accessing the area.
“They have been walking for more than 6 hours, our investigation team. Kasi mahirap talaga ang pagpasok dun (Because it is really hard to get there, sir. It is uphill),” Castillo said.
She further explained the logistical challenges:
“‘Yung nga downhill, sa pagbaba ng mga cadavers around 5 hours. ‘Yung pagpunta paakyat mas mahirap (As for the downhill, it takes about 5 hours to bring down the cadavers. Going uphill is more difficult),” she added.
The PAF investigation team will examine the aircraft wreckage and study the point of impact to determine the cause of the incident.
Castillo confirmed that authorities have tightened security at the crash site to preserve evidence.
“They don't let people in because they don't want to compromise the site of the accident or the incident. Because there are moving parts that are very critical for the investigation. That's the reason why we don't just let other people in. We have a very tight security for this area,” she said.
The FA-50 fighter jet, with tail number 002, went missing early Tuesday morning, 4 March 2025, during a tactical night operation in support of ground troops.
The aircraft lost communication with the rest of the flight minutes before reaching the target area around midnight. The lead aircraft made several attempts to re-establish contact with the missing jet before eventually returning to Mactan, Cebu.
Following the tragic incident, the PAF has temporarily grounded its entire FA-50 fleet while awaiting the results of the investigation.