40 people have already been rescued from the burning plane, a C-130. The plane is said to have crashed while landing at the airport on Jolo Island, about 1,000 south of the capital Manila. The C-130 missed the runway.
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“We pray that we can save more lives,” said General Cirilito Sobejana. He said the plane missed the runway and crashed in an attempt to make a go-around.
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Many of the passengers recently completed basic military training and have been deployed to the troubled island as part of a joint task force fighting terrorism in the Muslim-majority region.
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The military has a strong presence in the south of the Philippines, where militant groups are active, including the Abu Sayyaf Muslim group that carries out kidnappings for ransom.
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