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5J A320 Overshots Davao Runway

DIA Closes Airport, cancels flights until tomorrow
  • Cebu Pacific sanities story, blames weather, airport blackout
  • Passengers advised not to speak out broke out real story instead
  • Cause of engine explosion unknown
  • All flights diverted to GES 
What really happen in Davao?

June 2, 2013

A Cebu Pacific Airbus 320-200 plane (RP-C3266, CN: 4870) from Manila with flight number 5J 971 carrying 165 passengers crash landed tonight at Bangoy Internatioanl Airport after experiencing turbulence and heavy rain on final landing.

There were no casualties or injuries reported.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Air Accident Investigators are rushing to the crash site to determine cause of the crash.

Initial reports disclosed that the aircraft was attempting to land in heavy rains.

A passenger said that one of its engines exploded causing the aircraft to lose altitude on landing.

Jeffrey Wong, one of the aircraft's 165 passengers, said he saw their aircraft's engine burning seconds before it landed.

"I was at the right side of the plane, and nakita ko pumutok 'yung engine. Hindi talaga maganda ang pagka-landing," Wong said in a news report from GMA Davao.

He added that all passengers were only asked to disembark the aircraft 30 minutes after he saw the engine burning.

"Wala silang sinabi sa amin kung ano ang nangyayari," he said.

Jun Narciso, another Davao-bound passenger narrated that the engine was already on fire before aircraft touches down runway.

“The landing was very sudden and the pilot immediately braked. The pilot also immediately turned off the plane’s engine,” Narciso said in an interview by Rappler.

SPO1 Frelyn Delfin told ABS-CBN that the plane already sounded differently before the rough landing.

Cebu Pacific maintained that 5J 971 reportedly lost control after the runway light shut down temporarily while it was negotiating final landing at around 7 PM.  The temporary blackout caused it to skid off to the left of  runway 23.

“All 165 passengers have been safely shuttled to the airport terminal and their needs are being taken care of,” the airline company said.

Davao Airport manager Frederico San Felix in an interview by ABS-CBN contradicted the airline's claim of runway blackout saying runway lights in Davao Airport were in full intensity during aircraft's landing and there was no temporary blackout of lights in the runway as claimed by the airline.

“We cannot give clearance to land until cleared. All runway systems were normal and the runway lights were in full intensity,” San Felix said.

CRF vehicle was also prompt at the scene but there were few ambulances and no transport vehicles for the passengers to the terminal that time and it was raining very hard so they advice pilot to keep passenger inside while waiting for the transport vehicles to ferry them to the terminal.

Passengers said there were poor response from the airport authorities and the airline company who appeared to be shock from what just happen.

“The rescue team only arrived 15 minutes after the incident,” Narciso said.

Narciso added that the cabin crew refused to open the plane's door and failed to explain to the passenger what was happening.

“After 15 minutes, the pilot went out of the cockpit and explained that the problem was caused by the plane’s wiper,” Narciso narrated.

Other passengers claimed that the responding units were not prepared and lack proper equipment.

Most of the passengers had to walk almost a kilometer just to reach the arrival section of the airport without any personnel from Cebu Pacific offering assistance or even comfort, one passenger commented.

Davao international airport is expected to be close for traffic until tomorrow night. CAAP said three flights were diverted to Cebu and Manila. Ten flights were canceled tonight with possible flight cancellations of all flights tomorrow.

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific has open General Santos Airport for diversion of their affected flights.

Philippine Airlines in an advisory is offering passengers stranded in Davao a chance to go to Manila on Monday afternoon via a flight from General Santos City. PAL said it has upgraded its 4 p.m. General Santos - Manila flight to a Boeing 747-400 in order to accommodate passengers who are stranded in Davao and willing to be re-routed to General Santos.

San Felix said in a press briefing that Davao airport is expected to have "normal" operations by 8 p.m. Tuesday after the aircraft has been removed from the side of the runway.

The aircraft, he said, will have to be lifted up and afterwards be put on a steel plate before it can be removed from the field.


Images courtesy of Jeff Sy
Eyewitness account of Nino Ruel Alinsub
6:55pm
One thing I really noticed was the speed when we approached the runway. I am a frequent traveler, and this is my 11th plane ride this year alone. We were really going in fast! I did not see the flaps moving even a bit when we were approaching the runway. Based on my experience it should have initially moved as we go nearer to subsequently decrease our airspeed but there was no movement at all. I was shocked when I looked out the window and we were that close to the ground at that speed!

When we hit the ground it felt like a bowling ball hitting the floor. It was a really hard landing. Right on impact the flaps fully opened at once and the wheel was screeching like crazy. From the sound of it, the wheels were not turning at all as the pilot slammed the brakes to the floor hoping for a complete stop.

This caused a lot of commotion from the passengers as we all lunged forward. I can hear all the hand carried baggage rumble to the front of the aircraft. I can just remember looking at my wife on my right and holding her hand and when I saw her in the emergency landing position, I just held on to my 5-yr old son tightly bracing for impact. I can see the family sitting adjacent to us doing the same and protecting their month-old baby.

At the back of my mind I was thinking this is it! I was waiting for something to blow up... the plane veered heavily to the right the sound of metal dragged on the ground was something you won't forget pretty soon and then I heard a pop from underneath us, probably the wheels breaking off or going aground, just before the plane took a front nose-dive on the grass…luckily when the airplane stopped it didn't happen.

6:57pm.
The scene from inside the cabin was like a scene taken directly from a Hollywood crash movie flick. It was eerily dark with only the emergency exit lights on. We could hear the sound of the rain and wind gushing outside, and the loud cries of babies on board the plane. Nobody talked for a few seconds until my wife shouted "OPEN the doors" then people suddenly broke their silence. The smoke inside the cabin was enough to stir panic among the passengers reeling to get out of the plain. Yet we were instructed by the cabin crew to stay put, as they would wait for further instructions from the captain.

What? Really? You gonna wait for this freakin’ plane to blow while we were still inside? The initial responses from the passengers were a total mayhem. Everyone wants out. People were crying, some were trying to use their mobile phones to contact their loved ones outside, which I just realized could have been disastrous as it could ignite a flame that could blow us all off to the heavens.

1 min, 2mins, 5mins gone by and we are left to ourselves trying to figure out what to do next. Some members of the cabin crew were crying as well as they try their best to calm the passengers down. No ambulance, no fire trucks and no help from outside on the first few minutes of the crash. 23minutes after and with only smoky air to breath, not only oxygen, but patience, was running dangerously low as well.

It took the courage of one person, whom we only know as Captain Bok from the Philippine Navy, to stand up calm everyone down. He knew what he was doing and he was in control when even the cabin crew looked like they were really at a lost on what to do. Capt. Bok gave clear instructions for everyone to sit down so that we can leave row by row to prevent the plane from tilting over. He was the clear definition of a “guiding voice”.

In the midst of high levels of adrenaline rush, the heroes in all of us onboard sufficed as every man in the plane urged the elderly and those who have children to go out first, not minding the dangers that await us should the plane catch fire and blows to pieces. Amidst the chaos, it was elderly and children first. Classic human nature at its best.

I saw my son and my wife made it out safely from the window and that was enough to draw a smile on my face and my heart. Thank God they are safe. Now I have to save myself as well.

7:45pm.
When I finally got out of the plane I let out a big sigh of relief. I looked at the plane for the first time and saw the huge crack on one of the engine turbines. It was just then that I realized how precious life is and how someone from above just gave us a second serving of life. It was a brief 10 seconds of my life...but it could easily have been the last.

7:50pm.
There were only 2 vehicles that ferried the passengers from the grounds to the terminal. One was a private van most probably owned by somebody working on the premises, and another ambulance. The passengers are left out standing in the rain waiting for a ride. From the moment of impact, it took more than 5 minutes for the fire fighters to reach the scene. There were no medical first responders; in fact there were no one else. I can just imagine what would’ve happened to us if the plane did blow up and there were serious injuries on site. It would have been a mess.

8:10pm.
All the passengers are now safe at the baggage conveyor section, eagerly awaiting guidance or any support from the Cebu Pacific management. But lo and behold, again there was no one to face us. Wow, in the movies you could see an outpouring of support for people who have just been to such traumatic experiences. But for us…no food, no warming blankets for those who were dripping wet from the rain, no drinks, no nothing! Not even the sight of the cabin crew consoling passengers. There were even no seats for us to rest our shaking bodies so most people just sat on the conveyor itself. And then I remembered, yes this is not Hollywood.

8:30pm.
One employee from CebPac announced that we should not worry, as our baggage will be delivered door to door for compensation. This however back-fired since all passengers are weary of their hand-carried items left at the plain during the emergency exit that do not have any form of tags in them. It looked like some of the passengers were ready to pounce on the little fella.

9:00pm
we were all led to Gate no. 2 where we settled down and talked with CebPac’s management about the ordeal. Those who are from Davao were given some money for Taxi Fares, while those with connecting flights were offered hotels and meals. This was also the place where the hand-carried items were released to the passengers. We were also given juice drinks and a bottle of water during this time but it wasn’t enough to quench the anger of some of the passengers who are clearly dismayed with the absence of medical responders more than two hours after the incident. There were 3 passengers that needed help; one was an older woman whose blood pressure shoots up. The other one was a young girl on her twenties that is clearly suffering from panic attacks, and a pregnant lady that complains of severe abdominal pain… and yet there was no help until this time.

Luckily my cousin, Carlo Dela Cruz is a nurse working in Marbel Doctors Hospital, and another passenger, were capable of dealing with the situation. So just like what we did on board the aircraft, we took it upon ourselves to help each other. The two gallant nurses took care of the affected passenger until help arrived 3 hours after the incident in the form of one woman who have stethoscope and a BP apparatus. Yep! you heard me right.


Eyewitness testimony of Andrew Posas Bautista
https://www.facebook.com/video/embed...51624583448048
https://www.facebook.com/video/embed...51624703898048

Eyewitness position inside the ill-fated aircraft. He said he heard a big bang in the engine before the plane landed. Lighting the plane is the CRF vehicle which responded promptly as the plane came to a complete stop. Earlier,Cebu Pacific blamed the weather for the unfortunate landing. Note on spoiler position


































A DAY AFTER. Davao International Airport is expected to open back to traffic around 8 pm of June 3.
Cebu Pacific A320 being removed from the runway around 5 pm of June 5 . The airport is expected to open at 8 pm

35 comments:

  1. Will this accident affect the upgrades of FAA to the Philippines.

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  2. I think so, because the FAA will always be informed about any aviation incident across the globe. I hope they will not change their mind, CAAP have done a lot of things and working hard as we speak to get us out of the blacklist and Category 2.

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  3. Will this author improve his writing skills sooner than the plane is written off?

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  4. Spoilers not armed during touch down. Might have led to aircrafts lose of control.

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  5. If they never temporarily turned off the runway lights they would of landed safely and wouldnt need to slightly turn away from the runway.
    Just hope this wouldnt affect the Category 1 upgrade for FAA.

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    1. shouldn't that be enough for the pilot to abort landing? Regardless of what happened to the airport the decision to land was with the pilot. If they lights went out there were options available.

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    2. CP will try to turn the table in order to clear themselves. I believe if you are a very skilled and competent pilot, its easy to go around rather than risk the lives of the passengers aboard if the case was about the runway lights but if there was a mechanical/engine failure, I think the pilot deserves to be commended for a job well done....

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    3. I agree, when runway lights have gone off, a skilled pilot will decide to go around and wait for the runway lights to go online again. Airports have backup generators and supposed to make the runway lights turn on again. But if it will take more time, they can make a diversion to General Santos which is the nearest alternate. But I think CebPac will not like that decision since it will cost more. CEB has skilled pilots, but company policies affects their performance, so does other airlines.

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  6. I think this will have a severe impact on the Category 1 Upgrade. Regardless of the cause of the incident, if what the passengers are saying is true about the delayed evacuation and emergency responders not arriving until 15 minutes after the incident, that is completely unacceptable. As much as I want to see the Philippines with Category 1 status, the country does not deserve it with response like that and Philippine passengers simply deserve better! It's everyone's life on the line. While the outcome was positive, if something catastrophic actually did happen, people would be taking this a lot more seriously because it would be even more obvious how unprepared everyone was from the airport and perhaps even the airline! Also, what about the report from one passenger that the Captain emerged from the cockpit and blamed the windshield wipers?!

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  7. Is it true that the passengers were only able to deplane after 27 minutes? Plus why only 1L was used to deplane? Rear doors were closes and 1R also.

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    Replies
    1. Probably to save some more cash as deploying them all is too expensive. :D

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  8. Please lang, check your grammar and improve your writing skills.

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    1. If everyone is so unhappy with the skills of the writer, why don't you just read the news from a regular news agency or find another blog like Philippine Flight Network. We shouldn't criticize people who are offering a service for free. This is a blog, not a university thesis. It's up to the owner to post as they wish. Nobody forces you to read it.

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    2. Everyone is trying to find out details about what happened, and I was wondering if I would find any new info here, therefore I read this blog. Apparently there's nothing new. So yeah, if the blog is as crappy as this then I better read something better eslewhere.

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    3. This is not AAIIB. If you feel that this blog does not give you anything you need, why are you here in the first place?

      You are better off somewhere.

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    4. It doesn't matter if this was an AAIIB article or not. Not only is this article is not only full of grammatical and syntactical errors but it is also full of passenger interpretation. This article clearly implies the supposed incompetence of the flight crew without thinking how incompetent he is in conveying his ideas. How ironic is that? You people defending poor skills like the just perpetuates the problem this article thinks it's trying to illustrate.

      Passengers no nothing about how the aircraft (not aircrafts) should be configured especially from the back seat. Also, who cares what he thought upon seeing his family out the window? The title of this article is "57 Aircraft Overshoots Davao Runway" not "Man is Relieved To Know His Family Is Safe After Plane Crash".

      Articles like these should refrain from posting things like these because it condemns the people involved even before the investigation (where real FACTS are) is finished while over playing the "plight" of passengers. If you couldn't post FACTS. For the love of whatever god you believe in, just shut up.

      "Probably to save some more cash as deploying them all is too expensive. :D" <-- Really? REALLY? This statement is not only stupid at best but also contributes to this problem as you have nothing to say that is ACTIONABLE.

      Also, Teacher said "So yeah, if the blog is as crappy as this then I better read something better eslewhere (sic) (it's ELSEWHERE, spelling check please)". This clearly illustrates the FACT that he realized how useless this article is AFTER he read it. Unless you can somehow determine the contents of an article BEFORE you read it, in which case bravo to you sir.

      Yes, we are indeed better off ELSEWHERE.

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    5. "Passengers no nothing about how the aircraft (not aircrafts) should be configured especially from the back seat."

      Do you mean "Passengers KNOW nothing"? Check yourself first before you criticize others. Ang haba pa naman ng sinabi mo.

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    6. Pretty much. If I grew up watching doctors diagnose patients, does that mean I know enough about being a doctor that I can tell people that a particular doctor gave the wrong prescription?

      Was what brief enough for you?

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    7. I didn't think so. You're are so full of yourself. The point here is that let the CAAP conduct an investigation first. Once you have all the FACTS from QUALIFIED PEOPLE then you can comment on the situation all you want based on those FACTS.

      Until then, stop thinking too highly of yourself. No amount of flying as a passenger can qualify you to make comments such as that.

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    8. And this guy keeps on staying here. What a surprise!

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    9. @Daemon
      1. "I didn't think so"
      2. "You're are so full of yourself"
      3. "No amount of flying as a passenger can qualify you to make comments such as that"

      Back to your first comment- "Not only is this article is not only full of GRAMMATICAL and syntactical errors but it is also full of passenger interpretation"

      You're digging your own grave.

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    10. Alright alright. I'm going. The comments section got more interesting than the article itself.

      JC, I'd just like to point out that none of you answered the question. I see this in the news everyday. Senators belting out statements just for the sake of having the last say. That makes you wittier at best but by no means more knowledgeable. Like they say after storms, "all of the sudden everyone becomes a meteorologist" and after Paquiao fights, "all of the sudden everyone becomes fight analysts" and in this case all of you now turn into aviation analysts? Please. On what grounds did you base your comments on? Knowledge gained from Flight Simulator X or the fictional "time you logged as passenger of a commercial jet"? Just so you know. Those won't qualify you for anything. If you indeed are a pilot which I highly doubt based on your ill-advised comments, shame on you. Your CPL mill school should be shut down.

      I maintain that passengers know nothing about what the pilot should have done in that situation unless of course you are a rated pilot which again you are most definitely not. Yes you are so full of yourself for you to think that you actually have anything intelligent to say to add to the investigation and yes, NO AMOUNT OF FLYING AS A PASSENGER CAN QUALIFY YOU TO MAKE COMMENTS SUCH AS THAT (I don't know why you seem to think otherwise, where did you infer this?).

      On the contrary JC, I will now crawl out of the grave I am in with you guys.


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    11. Alright alright. I'm going. The comments section got more interesting than the article itself.

      JC, I'd just like to point out that none of you answered the question. I see this in the news everyday. Senators belting out statements just for the sake of having the last say. That makes you wittier at best but by no means more knowledgeable. Like they say after storms, "all of the sudden everyone becomes a meteorologist" and after Paquiao fights, "all of the sudden everyone becomes fight analysts" and in this case all of you now turn into aviation analysts? Please. On what grounds did you base your comments on? Knowledge gained from Flight Simulator X or the fictional "time you logged as passenger of a commercial jet"? Just so you know. Those won't qualify you for anything. If you indeed are a pilot which I highly doubt based on your ill-advised comments, shame on you. Your CPL mill school should be shut down.

      I maintain that passengers know nothing about what the pilot should have done in that situation unless of course you are a rated pilot which again you are most definitely not. Yes you are so full of yourself for you to think that you actually have anything intelligent to say to add to the investigation and yes, NO AMOUNT OF FLYING AS A PASSENGER CAN QUALIFY YOU TO MAKE COMMENTS SUCH AS THAT (I don't know why you seem to think otherwise, where did you infer this?).

      On the contrary JC, I will now crawl out of the grave I am in with you guys.

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    12. I only care about your ironic comment that this article is full of grammatical errors when you yourself is not excellent with the English language. You talk too much.

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  9. 1st: This will really have a significant impact to the aviation safety considering that the FAA has an ongoing check to upgrade us to CAT1. Sana nga lang crossfingers ma resolve natin ito dahil di lang CebPac ang maaapektohan kundi lahat ng Local Airlines.

    2nd: The pilot blamed the weather for the accident, he even announced to the public that it was because of the "Wipers"., Pero sa tingin ko kung ito lang yung problem napaka lousy ito na reason. If the pilot is really trained I think pwedeng pwede niya maiwasan ang ganitong accident., A320 can even land on single engine ng maayos, well depends on the weather condition also. Let's give time to this issue, anyway I read that the Airlines Investigatora were able to get the FDR and CVR to check the whole scenario prior to landing.

    3rd: I work in an airline also., It was emphasized on our training that We can direct for Emergency Evacuation for certain scenarios 1. Severe Structural Damage 2. Explosion 3.Smoke or Fire 4. Landing Gear Failure, and I think that We can consider the accident with Both Smoke/Fire and Landing Gear Failure but Why??? It took them about more than 20mins to react, 165pax but only 1 slide was used. The Aircraft is on Terrain Emergency Landing thats why all doors including overwing exits can be opened for Immediate evacuation, Yes the Engines didnt caught fire after it stopped but still you have to perform the Terrain Emergency Evacuation to expedite evacuation.

    We'll just wait for the update from the Auhorities, Let's also hear the Side of the Flight Crew and Cabin Crew.

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  10. The fault of this accident will be found right in the office of DG Hotckiss and his DDG John Andrews! These two gentlemen are the regulator, the operator and the investigator of this accident. How can anyone expect a neutral investigation with a root cause analysis and corrective action plans for CAAP as operator of the airport, for CAAP who licensed the airline and the pilots, for the airline who conducted the flight.

    A cause of an accident is not just pinpointing the series of faults which lead to the accident and who made mistakes during the evacuation but also make necessary recommendations on how accidents like this can be avoided in the future.

    DDG Andrews already speculates about the cause of the accident without even haven't looked and listened to the results of the download of cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. He is worst than the press. He speculates without having collected reliable, electronic data and recordings of the ill-fated flight!

    The Philippines really deserves to be in this deep sinkhole of international aviation!

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  11. Davao International Airport remained closed as of 12 noon Tuesday, Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Abaya said in an briefing. Abaya said the airport will open instead at 12 midnight Wednesday.

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  12. Wonder why the Captain asked them to stay put and wait for further instructions, I know they should asses if it was safe to open the doors, which side was on fire or were they on the side of a cliff...but shouldn't they get away from the plane as fast as possible?

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    1. That depends on the circumstances then present. Airbus manual states:

      "It may be necessary for the cabin crew to initiate an evacuation, when there is a catastrophic situation, such as:
      • Uncontrollable fire
      • Dense smoke
      • Severe structural damage
      • Emergency landing on water
      • No communication from the flight crew."

      From the foregoing, none appears to warrant immediate evacuation. The aircraft itself lies inside airport premises.

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    2. "The smoke inside the cabin was enough to stir panic among the passengers reeling to get out of the plain. (plane)"

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  13. "Right now the Cebu Pacific team is trying to extract the aircraft with minimum damage to the aircraft. We feel that the aircraft is now beyond economic repair. It is of interest to public service. We are constrained to exert all efforts to expedite the removal of the aircraft," John Andrews, the deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said this morning.

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  14. Category 1? Not this time.

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  15. Teacher, if all you wanted from this blog was to find new info or details about what happened, you should have not minded the grammar at all. I believe you understood what you have read, notwithstanding the grammar issues, right?

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  16. Medias should not make the news worst.

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