Remains of 2 of 10 Pinoys in Afghanistan crash to arrive Tuesday

The remains of two of the 10 Filipinos killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan will arrive in Manila on Tuesday, Vice President Noli De Castro said Monday.The victims were killed on July 19 after the Russian-owned civilian Mi-8 helicopter transporting them crashed on the tarmac in Kandahar Air Base shortly after takeoff at NATO's largest air base in Afghanistan. [See: 10 Pinoys killed in Afghan chopper crash]The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier identified the 10, who were employees of US-based construction firm The AIM Group, Inc. as:1. Celso Q. Caralde (born in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental)2. Ely I. Cariño (Cabusao, Camarines Sur)3. Ernesto C. De Vega (Naic, Cavite)4. Manolito C. Hornilla (Taysan, Batangas)5. Leopoldo G. Jimenez Jr. (Lubao, Pampanga)6. Mark Joseph C. Mariano (Floridablanca, Pampanga)7. Marvin P. Najera (San Fernando, Pampanga)8. Rene D. Taboclaon (Cagayan de Oro City)9. Recardo E. Vallejos (Bislig, Surigao del Sur)10. Noli M. Visda (Lubao, Pampanga)De Castro said the bodies of Jimenez and Hornilla are due to arrive 3 p.m.Tuesday, August 11, on Kuwait Air flight QR 646. The remains of the other eight, however, were charred, and that DNA testing would be needed for identification. [See: 8 Pinoys in Afghan crash to undergo DNA testing]Benefit claimsIn a separate statement, the vice president warned the families of the 10 victims not to avail of services of unauthorized persons in facilitating their claims from AIM.De Castro issued the statement after one of the claimant families reported to his office that they have been receiving calls from different people who offer their services they could fast track the processing of their claims.“The legal heirs of these 10 victims must wait for the official communication from the employer, the AIM group. The families should only talk to the representatives of AIM and no other, regarding the possible death benefits they could claim," he said.The vice president said that the legal heirs of the victims are the sole beneficiaries of the benefits and claims granted by AIM. “They are entitled to it in full, so they should be cautious of people who are asking for commissions or fees. The heirs must directly deal with the authorized representatives of AIM."Afghanistan is one of five countries where overseas Filipino workers are forbidden to work. The others are Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Nigeria - although there are moves to ease the restrictions on the last three. Despite the ban, many Filipino workers still managed to get employed in military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, where US troops and allies are fighting local militants.