Remains of PHL envoy killed in Pakistan crash to arrive on Wednesday

The remains of Philippine Ambassador Domingo Lucenario Jr., who was killed in a helicopter crash in Pakistan last week, will arrive in Manila on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday.

A special Pakistan C-130 plane will transport Lucenario’s remains to Manila and will arrive at the Villamor Airbase at 7 a.m. Pakistan’s Minister of Commerce will accompany the coffin.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose, at a press briefing, said a memorial service will be held at the DFA on Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Before the DFA service, the remains will be brought to the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City on Thursday, May 14.
 
“Other arrangements which are still being finalized will be announced at a later time,” Jose said.

Foreign Undersecretary Jesus Yabes and former ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr., head of the National Organizing Committee for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, were sent to Pakistan over the weekend to arrange for the return of Lucenario’s remains to the country.
 
Lucenario, 54, was the first Filipino ambassador who died in the line of duty in recent memory.
 
He perished along with Norwegian Ambassador Leif Larsen, the wives of the envoys of Malaysia and Indonesia, and the two pilots manning the Pakistani military aircraft while they were on their way to visit two government projects in northern Pakistan.
 
“We are still awaiting the official report of the Pakistan government,” Jose said. “They have to do a site inspection and forensic report which I think will not be done in a very short period of time.”
  —KBK, GMA News

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