New C-130 plane arrives from US

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Air Force's (PAF) fifth C-130 heavy-lift transport aircraft arrived from the United States on Sunday evening.

The cargo plane, acquired through the US Excess Defense Articles program, arrived at the Benito Ebuen Air Base in Mactan, Cebu.

The plane took off from the Davis-Monthan Air Base in Tucson, Arizona last October 6 (US time), according to a report from the Philippines News Agency.

PAF spokesperson Col. Antonio Francisco released the names of the personnel who flew the aircraft: Col. Joey Inacay, mission commander; Lt. Col. Jason Rom Lacida, aircraft commander; Major Anthony Amora, test pilot and pilot-in-command; Major Meritto Jay Quijano, pilot-in-command; Major Marjorie Mukay, pilot-in-command and Major Ronel Salas, pilot.

Mukay is the first female to be certified as pilot-in-command of a C-130, Francisco said.

He added that the new aircraft would boost the transport and logistic capabilities of the PAF.

The fourth C-130 arrived in Mactan last April 5 and was also flown by Filipino pilots. The two cargo planes are worth $61 million.

The fifth C-130 from the US arrived in the Philippines despite the recent remarks of President Rodrigo Duterte that he wants to break ties with Washington.

Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that he informed the US military that plans for joint patrols and naval exercises in the South China Sea have been put on hold.

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This is the first concrete break in defense cooperation after striking comments from Duterte against the country's longtime ally.