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Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Gun trafficking suspect set to retire this year
By Elias O. Bquero With Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
THE Air Transportation Office (ATO) employee who was arrested for gunrunning in Calinan, Davao del Sur has no derogatory record.
Manuel Tompar, officer-in-charge of the ATO control tower at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, said section chief Manuel Matig-a was planning to retire this year.
Matig-a has been with the office since it moved from Lahug, Cebu City to Mactan in 1969 or 1970, Tompar said.
Meanwhile, Cebu Gov. Pablo Garcia urged airport officials to strictly monitor incoming cargoes to make sure no guns are smuggled here.
Garcia said the arrest of Matig-a should be investigated for any links to destabilization plots against the government.
After the Oakwood mutiny and the arrest of military officers allegedly involved in destabilization efforts, the governor expressed concern on the recent development.
With the assurance of the military, though, Garcia said Cebu remains peaceful and will remain safe despite clashes between government forces and insurgents in nearby Bohol Province.
Matig-a, 60, was arrested with his wife Miguela at a police checkpoint in Calinan at 10 a.m. last Sunday. Seized from them were 12 .38 revolvers and one .45 pistol.
The Matig-a couple lives in Danao City where homemade gunmaking is legal through cooperatives.
He told investigators he had gone to Davao twice to sell guns. He said they were forced to do that because his salary at ATO is only enough to buy their daily needs.
Tompar confirmed that Matig-a’s salary is lower than that of other ATO personnel.
Tompar said that while technical people like air traffic controllers get a monthly salary of
at least P15,000, the likes of Matig-a only receive P8,000-P9,000, plus P1,000 in allowance.
“In the government, we have the grading system. Because Matig-a’s position is in the lower salary grade, naturally, his salary is also lower,” Tompar said.
Control tower personnel get more because they are technical people, compared with airfield power technicians (APT) who only provide power supply during brownouts.
ATO Mactan technical assistant Vicente Datan said Matig-a is head of APT, the lowest ATO section. The APT is under the Airways Navigation Service of the ATO 7.
ATO personnel chief Myrna Balatayo said their records showed that Matig-a was at work last week. Last Friday, he reportedly went home at 4 p.m.
His colleague Richie said Matig-a did not show up at work yesterday and is believed to be still in Davao to face the charges of illegal possession of firearms against him and his wife.
Joel Gavina, officer-in-charge of the ATO Civil Security Unit in Manila, said his office or the ANS can investigate Matig-a, depending on the order of ATO Chief Nilo Jatico.
Sun.Star tried to contact Jatico for comment but he was in a meeting.
(March 9, 2004 issue)
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