DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 March) — The aircraft that brought former President Rodrigo Duterte to Dubai en route to The Hague in the Netherlands where he will be facing the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity has been transporting President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to various destinations in the country.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., arriving via the same plane used to bring former President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague, is welcomed in Davao City in this photo taken May 23, 2024. Photo: Police Regional Office XI
“The plane carrying former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte took off at 11:03 p.m. this evening and exited Philippine airspace,” Marcos said in his address to the nation, 12 minutes after Duterte’s plane took off.
The chartered plane, a Gulfstream G550 (RP-C5219), left Manila at 11:03 p.m. for Dubai, according to live Flightradar24 data that MindaNews monitored since the aircraft’s departure.
Flightradar is a popular freemium app used to track flights using publicly available tracking data.
According to the Flightradar24 data, the plane landed 4:03 a.m. in Dubai (8:03 a.m. in Manila). It was originally scheduled to leave Dubai at 5:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. in Manila) but finally took off at 11:58 a.m. or 3:58 p.m. in Manila.
The flight is scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam at 5:04 p.m. local time, or 12:04 a.m., March 13 Manila time.
(An earlier version of this story said “The flight is scheduled to arrive in Rotterdam at 10:59 a.m. local time, or 5:59 p.m. Manila time.” Our apologies. -Ed)
Earlier, in a Facebook Live video, retired police general Filmore Bondilles Escobal showed Duterte being accompanied by former Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea into the aircraft.
Medialdea, a private nurse, and a personal assistant, joined the former President, ultimately after Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III said he can be accompanied by three persons.
The Flightradar24 data does not specifically show the owner of the plane and lists the ownership as “Private,” even in the premium version of the app.
There is no publicly available information on the ownership of the aircraft but several photos online show the President and first lady Liza Araneta Marcos regularly using it.
MindaNews also spotted several posts, including government agencies and military units, specifically naming the aircraft in social media postings.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, flown in by RP-C5219. Photo: Tactical Operations Group Sulu – Tawi-Tawi
The Tactical Operations Group in Sulu-Tawi-Tawi, for example, posted this image in May 2024.
The TOG said “On May 23, 2024, the Tactical Operations Wing Western Mindanao (TOW WestMin) through 5135th Air Base Squadron of the Tactical Operations Group Sulu-Tawi-Tawi (TOG SulTaw) facilitated the arrival and departure of His Excellency Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., President of the Republic of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief, Armed Forces of the Philippines at Sanga-Sanga Airport, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi via Gulfstream G550 aircraft with Tail Number RP-C5219.”
Several photos show President Marcos alighting from the plane, with the aircraft clearly marked.
In a Tiktok post earlier this week, Marcos was also seen arriving in Isabela to help coordinate relief efforts.
The Public Information Office in Palawan also documented Marcos’ arrival using the aircraft last year.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Puerto Princesa City, arriving via RP-C5219. Photo: PIO-Palawan
In May 2024, Sunstar Davao published photographs on its social media released by the Police Regional Office XI, also of Marcos alighting from the aircraft.
Controversial Duterte ally Sass Rogando Sassot was also among those who wondered out loud about the ownership of the aircraft.
In her Facebook post, Sassot hinted that the President was a frequent passenger of the Gulfstream 550.
On January 19, Sassot pointed out that the Gulfstream is owned by a Philippine charter airline that regularly flies Marcos.
“Hindi ko po alam kung sino ang may ari ng RP-C5219 – Gulfstream G550. BUT according to the Monitoring for Agency for Asia Region ng Aero Thai (https://www.aerothai.co.th/maar/approvals.php), RP-C5219 is under PILIPINAS ASIAN PEARL AIRWAYS INC. Di ko rin po alam kung sinong may ari nyan dahil wala naman silang website,” Sassot posted on Facebook on January 19.
“Gulfstream G550 aircraft with Tail Number RP-C5219, which is often used by President Bongbong Marcos Jr, has been spotted in Koh Samui, Thailand on January 17. It is now in Bangkok. I am not saying he is on that plane. However, it’s worth asking who owns it, why he does he keep using it, and whoever is on that plane right now, we hope you enjoyed Koh Samui,” Sassot said in a followup post almost an hour later.
Pilipinas Asian Pearl Airways appears to be a private charter airline whose franchise Congress approved in 2015.
According to data from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Pilipinas Asian Pearl Airways was registered on August 6, 2015 as a provider of charter services. It is based in Challenger Aero Air Hangar, Andrews Avenue, Pasay City.
The Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI), a state-owned company that provides air traffic control and communication services for airlines in Thailand, lists Pilipinas Asian Pearl Airways as having the listed along with two other planes as a private air charter provider.
Insiderph.com features reporter Monchito Nocon also noticed the plane. In his personal Twitter account, Nocon said: “Okay, who owns RP-C5219 aka the Gulfstream V that BBM has been using?”
Alex Monteagudo, former director of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), posted this clearest, nearest photo of the aircraft before it departed for Dubai.
In one of her Instagram Stories, Kitty Duterte posted a photo of the aircraft and said this was the plane “they used to kidnap my father.” (Yas D. Ocampo / MindaNews)
