Imee: US embassy said planners missed telling NAIA of military plane's arrival

The US embassy has  admitted that flight planners did not coordinate with NAIA ground handlers as regards a US military aircraft's arrival in Manila on June 26, Senator Imee Marcos said on Friday.

According to Marcos, the US embassy said that the arrival of the US military plane had diplomatic clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In a statement, Marcos disclosed that she received a the letter from the US Embassy dated July 6 in which US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson gave a summary of the landing of a Boeing C-17 transport aircraft registered under the US military at the NAIA.

“The US Embassy admitted that while the aircraft had an approved diplomatic clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the US flight planners did not coordinate in advance with the NAIA ground handlers and were, in fact, unfamiliar with the airport,” Marcos said, citing the contents of the letter.

“This lack of coordination, in turn, led to the parking of the aircraft in the wrong spot, delays ground servicing, and subsequent delays in the completion of customs and immigration processes,” she added.

Sought for comment as regards Marcos' statement, the US embassy said, "We can confirm that the Senator’s release accurately conveys the substance of Ambassador Carlson’s letter.

Bilateral military exercise

Marcos said the US Embassy had explained that the aircraft was in the Philippines to support a biliteral military exercise.

It stopped at the NAIA before going to its destination in Palawan “in order to comply with Philippine customs and immigration requirements.”

However, due to a clerical error, some of the information provided by the US government for the flight clearance was incorrect.

Marcos said the US Embassy explained that the aircraft’s cargo included equipment for a US Marine Corps Mobile Operations Center to be used in the Marine Aviation Support Activity exercise and that the one non-crew passenger aboard the aircraft was a US Marine travelling with the cargo who deplaned in Palawan to join his unit in support of the said exercise.

Senate Resolution 667

In late June, Marcos, chairperson of Senate foreign relations committee, filed Senate Resolution 667 seeking a probe into the alleged unadvised landing of the US military aircraft in Manila.

She questioned the purpose of the arrival of a Boeing C-17 strategic transport aircraft operated by the US military in Manila when its main destination was Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

Citing a source, Marcos said the Manila International Airport Integrated Command and Control Center was not given any advisory on the arrival of the said aircraft.

The aircraft arrived at NAIA at around 8:08 in the morning of July 26, 2023, departed on the same day at 6:10 p.m. or 10 hours after it arrived then arrived in Puerto Princesa at around 7:08 p.m, according to Marcos’ resolution.

After Marcos sought a probe into the matter, the US Embassy said that it has been coordinating with the Philippine government to permit the entry of any US government aircraft into the country. —NB, GMA Integrated News