This file picture taken on April 16, 2010 shows Liberal Party (LP) Quezon governor Raffy Nantes flashing the "Laban" (fight) sign as he campaigns for the national elections in Lucena City, Quezon province. (AFP)

Six people, including Quezon Governor Rafael Nantes, perished when the helicopter carrying the latter crashed at a residential subdivision in Lucena City Monday afternoon, the military and police said.

Col. Generoso Bolina, Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) spokesman, said the incident occurred at about 3:15 p.m. when the private helicopter carrying Nantes and three others crashed at Jael Subdivision in Barangay Iyam, Lucena City.

Chief Inspector Javier Baasis, spokesman of the Quezon Provincial Police Office, said that aside from Nantes those on board were his  military escort Master Sergeant Alfred Dominguez, police escort Police Officer 3 Randy Roferez, and the pilot identified as Nestor Sanchez.

One of the two children killed was identified as Rowena Navales, 14. She was inside their house when the crash happened. The other  victim’s name was not immediately available.

Bolina said the R44-type helicopter with body number RPC 2550 had just taken off and had barely flown 300 meters when it crashed and exploded.

The helicopter was reportedly bound for Manila.

Nantes is an outgoing governor of Quezon province after he lost his reelection bid in the last elections.

Senior Superintendent Erickson Velasquez, director of the Quezon Provincial Police Office, said local rescue teams from civilian and police sectors have started to retrieve the charred cadavers of the victims.

“There was a fire that ensued after the crash, the bodies of some of the victims were burned beyond recognition so we are having difficulty identifying them so far,” said Velasquez in a phone interview.

The official said the initial report they received is that there were five cadavers retrieved and that the crash also resulted in the burning  of at least five houses inside the subdivision. (With reports from Anjo Perez, Roy Mabasa, and Benjie Antioquia)