Body of PNP colonel killed in collision between plane, helicopter in US arrives

Arrival honors are performed for Police Colonel Pergentino “Bong” Malabed Jr. at NAIA. He died in a collision between an airplane and a helicopter in the United States last month. (Photo from PNP PIO)

MANILA, Philippines — The remains of a Philippine National Police (PNP) colonel who was among the fatalities in a plane crash in the United States, arrived in the country on Friday.

Photos from the PNP furnished to reporters showed that Police Colonel Pergentino “Bong” Malabed Jr. was granted arrival honors upon the arrival of his remains in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport this morning.

After the event, Malabed’s remains will be brought to the PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Necrological services are set to be held at the Multi-Purpose Center there starting this Friday, according to PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief Col. Randulf Tuaño.

READ: PNP to give honors to exec who died in US mid-air collision

Tuaño said the colonel’s final resting place is set at the Memorial Garden in Santa Rosa City, Laguna where funeral honors are also expected to be held on Feb 27.

Malabed was among the 67 fatalities of the collision between a passenger jetliner and a US Army helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. last January 29.

The ranking PNP personnel was on official travel, on the way to an exit call with the Philippine police attaché in Washington, D.C.

He had inspected all-purpose vests in India and the US state of Kansas.

PNP said Malabed will receive the “Medalya ng Katapatan sa Paglilingkod” and the “Medalya ng Katangi-tanging Gawa.”

Meanwhile, his family will receive nearly P2.7 million in accidental death benefits from the PNP Savings and Loan Association, Inc.