Gov’t should not ignore Villaruel’s corruption allegation — Roco

The Arroyo administration should not ignore the corruption allegation raised by former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel who was killed in a shootout with police yesterday, former senator Raul Roco said.

Roco said Villaruel echoed the complaints of junior military officers who seized a ritzy residential condominium in the heart of Makati City’s business district in July.

"Why would a colonel who built the tower during his time enter there and shout about corruption? We already heard this from the soldiers at Oakwood. We have to investigate this," Roco said in his program over dzBB radio.

Roco said the government should also investigate how Villaruel entered the airport armed with guns and explosives when the place was supposed to be on guard against possible terrorist attacks.

"They said the control tower is a vital installation. It’s true, but how did Colonel Villaruel enter the premises even if he used to supervise the facility. The security was lax," he said.

Roco said, however, nothing justified the use of force to air grievances.

"Taking over a public property by force, no matter what reason, is wrong. It’s illegal. If you use force, the force of law will also get back at you."

On July 27, over 300 military officers and troops from elite military units staged a mutiny to protest allegedly widespread corruption in the military.

They accused the military leadership of selling arms to Muslim and communist rebels.

The mutineers, who colleagues said also held sterling combat records, said they had come across recovered ammunition from captured rebel camps with markings "DND (Department of National Defense) Arsenal."

The mutineers also accused then defense secretary Angelo Reyes and military intelligence chief Brig. Gen. Victor Corpuz of "masterminding" bombings against civilian targets in Mindanao in a bid to declare the MILF as a terrorist group and eventually get more US funding for Arroyo’s anti-terror campaign.

They also accused the military leadership of planning bombings in Manila in a bid to extend Mrs. Arroyo’s stay in power through martial law.

Reyes and Corpuz denied the accusations but later resigned.