IN AN article on Pope John Paul II’s first visit to the Philippines (Inquirer, 2/20/11), Rolando Luna claimed that he piloted the papal plane to various parts of our country. Several pilots, mostly retired, have asked me to say publicly that Luna’s claim is inaccurate. Records show I was the “aircraft commander” of the papal plane.
It was on Feb. 18, 1981 that the PAL vice president for flight operations designated me as such. I was given the flight information folder which named the cockpit crew and cabin crew, together with the back-up aircraft with its own cockpit and cabin crew. Listed were the VIP passengers on board. I was provided the complete route of the flight, weather forecast and temperature.
At no time did Luna ever serve as pilot of the papal plane. I did, from start to finish. My co-pilot was First Officer Virgilio Ochan.
Inside the plane, before takeoff, Philippine Airlines chair and president Roman Cruz introduced me to the Pope as pilot of the papal plane for the entire visit. I, in turn, introduced my crew members. When I was about to go to the cockpit, the Pope called me and whispered, “I am now totally in your hands.” I assured him, saying, “Your Holiness is in safe hands.”
When the historic papal visit ended in Subic, his holiness kindly gave us a memento: a picture-taking with every crew member. To this day, all of us treasure these photos with the Pope.
Print and broadcast media interviewed me when Pope John Paul II revisited the Philippines in 1995, and when he died. They came all the way to my residence in Toledo City, asking me to share with them my personal impressions of the Pope at close range.
—TERESO B. LEBUMFACIL,
retired Philippine Airlines pilot
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