MANILA — A Filipino police official was among those killed in the mid-air collision of a passenger plane and a military helicopter over Washington D.C.'s Potomac river, the Philippine National Police said Friday.

The PNP confirmed that Police Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr., chief of the PNP Supply Management Division, was among the passengers of the American Airlines flight that collided with the Black Hawk helicopter near the Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River.

Police Col. Pergentino Malabed Jr. Photo courtesy: PNP Directorate for Logistics 

Malabed, 51, was on official travel at the time of the incident.

“Si Col. Malabed po ay may kasama siyang isang PNCO at isang NUP. Meron po silang foreign travel authority upang pumunta sa India for inspection po ng 2,675 na armored vests na bibilhin ng PNP. Siya po ay nakarating sa India last January 22 from Manila,” PNP Public Information chief Colonel Randulf Tuaño told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

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“Ang ginawa po nila, napag-alaman natin sa ating foreign liaison division, out of the 2,765, nagtest po sila ng anim. Yung isa iiwan nila sa India at yung lima dadalhin nila sa shop ng kumpanyang ito sa USA, kung saan gagawin ang final testing ng bibilhin natin,” he added.

According to Tuaño, from Kansas, Malabed was supposed to travel and pay a courtesy call to Police Attache Colonel Moises Villaceran Jr. in Washington D.C.

“Yung papunta ng Manila to India kasama niya [ang dalawang staff]. From India to Kansas, USA, umalis po sila ng January 27. Ang usapan nila, resources ang pinag-uusapan, instruction sa kanila ng director ng logistics ay mag-courtesy call o exit call si Col. Malabed kay Gen. Moises Villaceran, ang ating police attache sa Washington,” he said.

American Airlines 5342 was preparing to land at the airport when the collision happened.

Tuaño said Malabed was identified as among the casualties based on documents, such as the flight manifest and his passport.

“Ang initial, inidentify ng Washington Police based on documents. Meaning, ang pagkakakilanlan nila is unofficial. Ang sinasabi nila sa US, magiging official lamang pagdating ng kin, particularly,ng kanyang asawa, upang i-identify po ang cadaver,” Tuaño explained.

“May mga narecover na body, 30, initial reports sa atin ni Mr. Jaime Ramon Ascalon, siya po ang deputy chief of mission natin sa Philippine Embassy… Pero initially, yung e-ticket din kasi ang pinagbasehan na kasama siya sa flight manifest at yung passport na nakuha sa 30,” he continued.

US authorities are still investigating the collision involving American Airlines flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.

The PNP has contacted Malabed’s wife and extended its condolences to the police official’s family.

“Ngayon, tinutulungan po ng PNP ang kanyang asawa, inaayos na ang pagbili ng ticket papunta ng US. Aasikasuhin po siya pagdating doon ng ating mga police attache,” Tuaño said.

He said the PNP would provide Malabed’s family with all the necessary support during this difficult time.

“His untimely passing is a profound loss to the PNP, where he served with honor, integrity and dedication throughout his career,” he said.

Malabed was a member of the Philippine National Police Academy Class of 1998.

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