Roco: Get back to work, GMA

DAVAO CITY — Presidential aspirant Raul Roco urged President Arroyo yesterday to prioritize affairs of state rather than go around the country in what he said was early campaigning for next year’s elections "in disguise."

"At the way things are going now with her, she seems to be everywhere and she barely has time to sit down and mind the affairs of state. Wala na siyang ginawa para sa bayan (She has not done anything for the country)," he said following the siege of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal II control tower that claimed the lives of former Air Transportation Office chief Panfilo Villaruel and Navy Lt. (sg) Ricardo Catchillar.

Roco arrived here Saturday for a series of speaking engagements.

The former senator said the siege was indicative of Mrs. Arroyo’s weak leadership, coupled with an administration saddled with corruption.

"The cry of Villaruel was the same lament of the junior military officers and soldiers who launched the July 27 mutiny," he said.

Roco criticized the President’s frequent provincial sorties, which he said was contrary to her declaration that she was not yet campaigning and that she does not want to answer political questions.

"It is hypocrisy. She does not want to answer political questions but her actions speak otherwise," he said.

Roco also asked Mrs. Arroyo to be transparent about the money she is using to fund her provincial trips.

"We would like to know if the money used in her sorties is her own personal money, if it is Malacañang money or if it is Jose Pidal money," he said, referring to the controversy involving First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, who was accused of money laundering using secret bank accounts under the name Jose Pidal.

Roco also criticized authorities who responded to the siege of the NAIA control tower, saying that the force used against Villaruel was not commensurate to the threat.

"He did not take anyone hostage. He could have been allowed to surrender," he said.

Roco described Villaruel as a wounded animal going home to the tower he built.

"The tower symbolized his achievements, his career and it meant a lot to him," he said.

Villaruel and Catchillar, strapped with explosives and armed with guns and grenades, seized the tower and claimed they wanted to expose government corruption.

They forced the six controllers to leave, barricaded themselves inside the air traffic control room and cut off electricity to the rest of the tower.

Villaruel, minutes before he was killed, said in a telephone call broadcast over television and radio that "there was too much politicking in the country, with institutions trying to destroy other institutions."

He also said he was ready to give up his life for his country and wanted to "awaken the people with his acts."

Villaruel was heard shouting their surrender as the police barged into the room and opened fire, killing both men. Police officials later denied that Villaruel was killed while surrendering and insisted that he and Catchillar opened fire first.