Former Senator and senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan’s helicopter ride from Pili, Camarines Sur, to Tiaong, Quezon on Monday was forced to make three emergency landings due to bad weather conditions.
Pangilinan was en route to Quezon Province from his weekend campaign run in the Bicol Region when they encountered zero visibility in the helicopter’s flight path, causing them to undertake three emergency landings.
“There was 180-degree zero visibility in our flight path that caused us to undertake three emergency landings before we aborted our flight. Napatrabaho nang husto iyong piloto kaya sulit na sulit iyong sahod sa piloto today,” Pangilinan said.
After their last emergency landing in Candelaria, Quezon, they decided to travel by land to Tiaong, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech before Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) students and meet with supporters. Pangilinan also took a selfie with farmers who witnessed his emergency landing in Candelaria before resuming travel.
“Una sa lahat, ako’y nagpapasalamat sa Panginoon dahil sa Kanyang ibinigay na proteksiyon sa amin. Nagpapasalamat din ako sa ating mga magigiting na piloto sa ipinakita nilang husay at tibay ng loob sa gitna ng panganib. Taos-puso rin po akong humihingi ng paumanhin sa ating mga kababayan sa Quezon na natagalan sa paghihintay sa nangyaring delay,” Pangilinan said.
“Sa kabila ng nangyari, nagpasya akong ituloy ang aking mga nakatakdang aktibidad dahil mahalaga sa akin ang mga taga-Quezon,” he added.
The former Senator placed 2nd in the 2022 vice presidential race in Quezon Province, garnering 359,239 votes.