Airport videocams record pilots in stolen plane case

SANTO DOMINGO.- The authorities identified the two pilots who allegedly stole an airplane from El Higuero International Airport (AILI) Sunday, whose whereabouts are unknown thus far.

The pilots were identified as the Dominican resident in Venezuela Ramon Hernandez Peguero, ID no. 045-0016262-5, native of Guayubín (northwest) and the Venezuelan Pedro Geraldo Gutiérrez, passport #00643492.

Las Americas International Airport security cameras filmed both pilots upon arriving aboard a Copa Airlines flight from Panama. On October 2 the pilots stayed at the Hotel Resident, in the La Esperilla sector.

According to the Police, Army lieutenant John Percival Matos –son of retired general Rafael Percival Peña – was paid 350,000 dollars, product of drug trafficking, to help in the theft of the airplane, valued at 2.5 million dollars, property of the Puntacana Group.

Arrested thus far in the case are 18 other members of the military, but no names or ranks have been disclosed.

Yet another Percival

According to sources cited by newspaper El Caribe, a captain and pilot, whose last name is also Percival, uncle of Percival Matos and brother of Percival Peña, is also being held, in the Armed Forces Ministry, in connection with the case.