Retired colonel rues loss of daughter who was a substitute passenger in C-130 flight

A father cannot help but lament the loss of his daughter who was a substitute passenger in the C-130 flight that crashed in Sulu.

According to a report on "24 Oras" on Tuesday, retired Colonel Wilfredo Tato said his daughter Lieutenant Sheena Alexandria Tato boarded the C-130 flight on Sunday as a substitute passenger, taking the place of a nurse who decided at the last minute not to go.

"Anak, sa pagpanaw mo, 'wag mong kalimutan na mahal na mahal ka namin. Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan, bakit sa ganitong paraan ka kinuha ng Panginoon? 'Yan ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit sa ganitong paraan?" Wilfredo said.

(Child, with your passing, don't forget that we love you very, very much.  What I can't understand is why God would take you this way? That's what I don't understand, why in this way?)

"Sinabi naman niya sa akin na, 'Pa, may kasama ako dito na ilalagay sa Jolo may sakit 'yong anak kaya ako na lang ang ipinalit.' Tapos, 'Pa, okay lang at least gusto ko rin dahil doon Pa, makakapag-aral ako through online gamit ang bagong laptop,'" he added.

(She had told me that someone else was supposed to be sent to Jolo, but that someone's kid got sick. So my daughter was sent instead. She told me that she liked being sent there as she could keep studying online using her new laptop.)

On July 3, Wilfredo said his daughter told him the flight had a slight problem. He told his daughter not to take the flight. A day after, Alexandria boarded the C-130 aircraft.

"Panay hagulgol ni misis, pati ako. Para akong sira ulo na nakaupo sa tabi tapos bigla akong sisigaw," he said.

Alexandria was among the over 50 people killed in the crash in Sulu's Patikul town.

Alexandria's remains will be brought to the Villamor Airbase for military honors. Afterward, her remains will be brought to her family.

"Me, as a father, deep inside of my heart, 'pag nailibing na 'yong anak ko, at tsaka ko ipa-follow up pagpa-DNA dahil mahal na mahal ko 'yong anak ko na gusto kong matiyak na 'yong anak ko na nailibing, 'yon ba si Rhea? So I need confirmation through DNA," Wilfredo said.

(After I bury my daughter, that's when I'll see to the DNA test. I love my daughter very much and I want to be sure that it was my daughter that I buried.)

President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to give more financial benefits to the Armed Forces of the Philippines as he condoled with the military on Monday. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/DVM, GMA News