EDITORIAL - Flogging the dead

We can understand why a government would want to wrest back control ASAP of the air traffic control tower of the nation’s main international airport. We may even understand why special weapons and tactics team members would shoot to kill instead of to disable when running against time to regain control of a vital government installation.

What is hard to swallow, however, is the continuing mudslinging directed at the dead. If certain public officials could have their way, they would render Panfilo Villaruel Jr. and his aide Ricardo Catchillar double dead.

Since the takeover of the air traffic control tower, we have heard enough dirt about Villaruel and Catchillar that would never have been dug up if the former Air Transportation Office chief had kept his anti-government sentiments to himself. Any information that could put the two dead men in a better light – such as laboratory results indicating that they did not fire guns during the incident – is being suppressed.

But then the denigration of Villaruel is understandable, coming from people worried about their positions or stung by his criticisms of corruption. Any self-respecting government cannot allow people to take over the air traffic control tower of the nation’s main international airport. That Villaruel and an aide managed to do just that, sending air traffic controllers home with midnight snacks, was a major embarrassment for an administration that projects toughness on security threats.

So when security officers finally moved in, they had to zap Villaruel with enough firepower to leave the man’s face mangled beyond recognition and with one earlobe torn off. All 13 shots that found their mark were fatal; none of the shots were meant simply to disable.

The man is dead, his face so turned into pulp his casket has to be kept sealed. Painting the dead black won’t make the administration look lily-white. Digging up dirt about Villaruel won’t erase the ugly fact that he succeeded in a serious breach of security at the nation’s premier airport. If certain administration officials cannot keep their mouths shut in their desperate scramble to defend their actions, they should at least hold their fire against the dead until the burial.