SunStar Pampanga owner, 2 others killed in copter crash
PROMINENT Pampanga businessman Liberato “Levy” P. Laus and two other men were killed in a helicopter crash in Barangay Anilao in Malolos, Bulacan on Thursday, April 25.
Laus and pilot Everette Coronel died on the spot, while Wilfran Esteban died at a local hospital.
Laus, 68, was the chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Laus Group of Companies, the largest multi-brand car dealership network in the country. The group also co-owns SunStar Pampanga.
Laus was also the chairman emeritus of the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry and former president of Clark Development Corp., among others. He was also the owner of local television network CLTV36.
Lieutenant Colonel Emerey Abating, Anilao chief of police, said the ill-fated helicopter with body number RPC8098 crashed into a fishpond around 12:30 p.m. Thursday.
An eyewitness identified as Jonald Borlongan, a resident of Barangay Anilao, said he noticed that the chopper was already malfunctioning while in the air, as it was seen emitting thick smoke.
Borlongan said that as it was about to make an emergency landing in the area, parts of the chopper, including its main rotor, started falling apart until it crashed into a fishpond.
Personnel of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) started collecting the parts of the aircraft to conduct a thorough investigation.
Caap Air Crash Investigator Harry Paradero said they have already factored out weather condition and possible overloading as cause of the crash.
The Caap, in a statement, also said that the helicopter, which was owned by Laus, left the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) general aviation area at 12:28 p.m. Thursday for San Fernando City in Pampanga.