‘Villaruel killing justified’

Citing national security concerns, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said yesterday the killing of former Air Transportation Office (ATO) chief Panfilo Villaruel and his Navy aide by police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) operatives on Saturday was justified.

"It’s a natural reaction for the SWAT team to neutralize any threat and we believe that it was a justified action considering the time, the place and the circumstances of the situation," he said.

Bunye said that when a member of the SWAT team knows the intruder has gained access to a sensitive area such as the control tower of an airport and is armed and dangerous, his immediate natural reaction is to neutralize the threat.

Although Villaruel’s complaint about conditions in the country may have "a grain of truth," Bunye said, it could not justify the takeover of the control tower of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)’s Terminal II.

Bunye said the control tower was "the heart and brain of the aviation industry."

"No reason can justify that taking over of a sensitive installation. The tower is the heart and brain of the aviation industry and many airplanes would have crashed and people killed because of his (Villaruel’s) action," Bunye said.

Villaruel and his aide, Navy Lt. (sg) Ricardo Catchillar were shot and killed after they seized the NAIA-II control tower for three hours before dawn Saturday.

Villaruel told a radio interview that he was willing to sacrifice his life in expressing his being disgruntled over corruption in the government.

"He (Villaruel) can expose those corruption in the government through other forum but not inside the tower," Bunye said.

Bunye also reiterated the incident was "an isolated act" and had nothing to do with any destabilization move against the government.

Even as security officials downplayed the tower siege as an isolated act, lawmakers pressed for an investigation of the incident.

Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza called for an investigation on the incident citing the apparent laxity of security measures at the airport.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday that Mendoza should take full responsibility and tender his resignation to the President.

"Secretary Mendoza should assume full responsibility. He should submit a courtesy resignation," he said.

Drilon said the seizure of the NAIA-II control tower by Villaruel and Catchillar "is a case of alarm and we should be concerned about the (airport) security."

Sen. Robert Barbers said the control tower takeover displayed the apparent inefficiency of the security measures at the airport, highlighting the possibility of terrorists entering the premises.

Drilon, however, dismissed reports that the seizure of the control tower by the two suspects was part of a destabilization plot.

"This is a matter of security, apparently it has nothing to do with the reported coup plot," Drilon said after getting the assurance from Armed Forces chief Gen. Narciso Abaya.

But the incident was enough to send jitters to the business community, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) president Donald Dee said.

Dee said noted the fact that "there are people willing to die (to speak against corruption)."

"This (incident) is a wake-up call," he said. "This is a bad sign for the country."
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PPCI) chairman emeritus Miguel Varela said the incident shows the level of frustration of some people over what is happening in government.

Both Dee and Varela claimed they knew Villaruel. "We were not paying attention to him (Villaruel) but he is a modest and intelligent person," Varela said.

Dee said Villaruel had talked to them in the past about instability in the government but dismissed his claims since he was already retired.

Following the incident, authorities have tightened security around the airport and in Metro Manila.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Deputy Director General Reynaldo Velasco directed the five police district chiefs to improve intelligence gathering and surveillance operations.

"The NCRPO has been closely coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) leadership since the incident to monitor troop movements in the metropolis and its neighboring provinces," Velasco said. - With Jose Aravilla, Jess Diaz, Non Alquitran