A Boholano Philippine Army trooper has been confirmed to be among those who were injured when a military cargo plane carrying soldiers crashed in Patikul, Sulu, on Sunday morning.

At least 50 passengers of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules which crashed last Sunday have been confirmed dead by authorities, while some 40 others survived. The incident has been deemed as the country’s worst military air disaster in nearly three decades.

Corporal Jessie Galo, 32, who is a native of Nueva Vida Sur, Carmen town survived the plane crash and was taken to a hospital in Zamboanga for treatment, Galo’s mother Sara said.

According to Sara, Jessie called her after the incident but she was unable to determine her son’s actual condition.  

She said her conversation with Jesse was “very brief.”

“Igo ra siya miingon ‘ma, mo ari ka?’ Mao ra. Wa nay lain estorya kay mura ma’g dili siya pa estoryahon…unya hinay kaayo iyang tingog,” said Sara.

Sara initially learned of the incident through Facebook without confirmation if Jessie was on board the aircraft, but she already had an inkling that it was her son’s flight that had hogged the headlines. Prior to the tragedy, Jessie had told her that he was set to be deployed to Sulu.

An official from the Philippine Army later confirmed to Sara that her son was indeed among the passengers of the military aircraft that crashed in Patikul, Sulu.

Jessie joined the Philippine Army in 2011 after completing his training in Cagayan De Oro

He was initially assigned in Surigao Del Sur before being deployed to Cagayan De Oro, where the ill-fated C-130 had departed to take him and over 90 others to Sulu.

Sara described him as amiable and “good son.”

“Buotan jud na siya na pagkabata. Friendly kaayo, tanan mga silingan aring Carmen friends niya,” said Sara.

Jessie had also helped pay for the schooling of his younger siblings and renovation of his family’s home in Carmen.

However, Jessie has not been able to go home to Bohol due to the lingering pandemic.

Sara, who works as house help in Tagbilaran City, wishes to visit her son at the hospital but noted that she still needs to raise money to pay for her fare.

She said that the Carmen local government unit has offered to extend financial aid. (R. Tutas)