MORE commandos from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) have been sent to Isabela to help search for the pilot and passengers of the Cessna plane which went missing last January 23, the Journal Group learned yesterday.

PNP-SAF director, Major General Edgar Alan O. Okubo said that 41 augmentation troops from the SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City and their Mountain Province unit are now on their way to Divilacan, Isabela.

The troopers will reinforce their colleagues as well as troops from the Army and the Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in looking for the persons aboard the Cessna plane which went missing two weeks ago in the heavily-forested areas of Divilacan and Maconacon municipalities.

The SAF commandos have been given their respective areas particularly in Barangay Dicaruyan and Bgy. Dipudo to comb as part of the search mission.

Four base camps have been established by the PNP-SAF for the resupply of food provisions, said Maj. Gen. Okubo.

The official said they are also coordinating with the Philippine Air Force for the possible ‘air-drop’ of food provisions and other needed materials in the area which is known for its inclement weather and for having poor radio and cell phone signals.

Maj. Gen. Okubo has also ordered the SAF task force rescue commander to monitor the morale and welfare of their men and ensure that they are all well-rested and are not suffering from any medical condition.

As of Wednesday, the PNP-SAF commandos have reported that there is no Globe or Smart and Satellite Phone signal in the area. The troopers can only communicate thru Icom radio.

The PNP-SAF and other members of the rescue team are praying for a miracle that they would still find survivors of the crash despite the many problems they are facing in order to reach the suspected crash site, foremost of which is the unpredictable weather, cold temperature, torrential rains and presence of wild animals including poisonous snakes.

There is also the threat posed by members of the New People’s Army who are known for attacking soldiers and policemen engaged in humanitarian missions, thus the need for the search-and-rescue teams to be on constant alert for armed men in the area.

“We’re monitoring the activities of our search-and-rescue teams round-the-clock and have been providing them all the equipment and other necessary support they need in this delicate mission,” said Maj. Gen. Okubo.

The January 23 plane crash has exposed the need for the government to better prepare when responding to similar tragic incidents in the future.

There have been suggestions to have an inter-agency unit that will supervise all search-and-rescue efforts in the event of an air, land or a maritime tragedy, equipped with planes, helicopters and watercrafts badly needed to ferry rescuers at the soonest possible time.

The lack of resources has been evident in the Cessna plane incident in Isabela where the search was actually delayed for three days due to inclement weather; the unavailability of planes or seacrafts that would transport the SAF commandos and their equipment to the nearest command center; the presence of heavy clouds that make it very hard for helicopter or plane crews to spot signs of the plane wreckage; the lack of roads that make it much harder for the rescuers to reach their target and other unforeseen circumstances.

Efforts to reach the place via off-road vehicles has also been futile since the known vehicle routes in the area have been heavily-damaged by landslides, meaning only motorcycles or ‘habal-habals’ can only pass thru it.

Last but not the least, there is a need to provide the unit with adequate funding since the conduct of a search-and-rescue operation is very expensive. Officials said that food and other provisions as well as gasoline and aviation fuel cost reach hundreds of thousands a day.

The SAF commandos who are highly-trained in combing heavily-forested areas are equipped with sound detectors, tactical stretchers, drones and other necessary equipment.

Last week, 54 SAF troopers involved in the mission were separately ferried from Cauayan Airport to Maconacon by Air Force helicopters or private Cessna planes.

From Divilacan alone, the rescuers have to endure a 6-8 hours long sea travel to reach the command center.

The PNP-SAF commandos are not taking any chances since the place is known for having a considerable large presence of NPA rebels and has been the scene of major gunbattles between government troops and the rebels since the 70s and 80s.