Pilot hangs self inside hangar

A 40-year-old pilot of Air Philippines ended his life by hanging himself inside a hangar at the general aviation area of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) complex in Pasay City yesterday morning.

Ret. B/Gen. Angel Atutubo, assistant general manager for emergency and security services of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), identified the suicide victim as Edwin Muyco Magbanua, a widower, and senior pilot of Air Philippines.

Magbanua’s lifeless body was found by aircraft mechanic Rodney Prollen hanging from a nylon cord tied to a beam of the Elizalde hangar at the general aviation area at around 11:25 a.m.

Investigation of the MIAA Airport Police Department revealed that Magbanua had not been reporting for work at Air Philippines since Friday and had even been classified as AWOL.

From the state of decomposition of Magbanua’s body when it was discovered, however, Atutubo said that Magbanua, who was wearing a green T-shirt and black pants, may not have been dead for more than 24 hours.

Atutubo said that they are still investigating Magbanua’s alleged suicide to find out the reasons behind it and ascertain there is no foul play involved.

Investigation disclosed that Magbanua was widowed when his wife died five years ago while giving birth to their child.

Magbanua’s fellow Air Philippines employees described him as kind and a quiet person.

It was learned that Magbanua a relatively new employee of Air Philippines, having been hired from Corporate Air, an aviation outfit also based at the NAIA airport complex.

Atutubo said that Magbanua’s body was turned over to the Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory for an autopsy.