|
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Napolcom orders probe on control tower takeover
* Gloria reiterates assault on Villaruel, Catchillar was justified
* 4 senators seek Senate probe on incident
MANILA -- President Arroyo's defense on the assault made on ex-Air Transportation Office (ATO) chief Panfilo Villaruel did not stop the National Police Commission (Napolcom) from investigating into the alleged "excessive use of force" in handling the situation.
Villaruel, who was the ATO chief during the time of former president Fidel V. Ramos, was killed in an early morning assault by airport policemen together with Lt. SG Ricardo Catchillar.
Villaruel and Catchillar seized the air traffic control tower of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) 2 past midnight Saturday, allegedly to demonstrate their protest against government corruption and too much politics in the country.
President Arroyo, in a separate interview, defended anew the assault on Villaruel as justifiable.
The Senate, on the other hand, planned to hold an inquiry into the incident as some senators call for the resignation of Sec. Leandro Mendoza of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
Linda Hornilla, Napolcom vice chairman and officer-in-charge, said she instructed Jacinto Campos to verify claims made by the family that the assault on Villaruel and Catchillar was an "overkill".
Campos is the chief of the Napolcom Investigation, Monitoring and Control Section.
Hornilla said Campos' team is on their way to the Terminal 2 to discuss the issue with Senior Supt. Andres Caro II, head of the Aviation Security Group (ASG).
Villaruel's wife and son said members of the ASG killed Villaruel despite his "willingness to surrender".
"What they did to my husband was inhuman," Villaruel's widow, Maritess said.
The family also said the police team shot Villaruel in the face point-blank even upon seeing that the victim was already dead.
Briggs Villaruel, the eldest son of the former ATO chief, was quoted as saying that "only one-fourth" of his father's head remained recognizable as a result of the shooting. Proof enough, he said, that excessive force was used in taking down his father.
Meanwhile, the PNP Crime Laboratory on Monday conducted paraffin tests on both Villaruel and Catchillar.
Chief Supt. Restituto Mosqueda, director of the crime laboratory, declined to disclose the results of the test.
He said only PNP Chief Hermogenes Ebdane and the Villaruel and Catchillar families are allowed to see the results.
Defense
Meanwhile, President Arroyo defended police assault against Villaruel and Catchillar.
"The killing was justified because a national security installation was under threat," Arroyo said.
"It was the duty of the authorities to regain control of this tower and the most effective way of doing it was to use extreme force," Arroyo added.
"There is no need for a Presidential authorization regarding this matter."
Sec. Mendoza, for his part, said the failure of authorities to contain the situation involving Villaruel and Catchillar could have had "strong repercussions" and could have been "detrimental to national interest".
"The rules of engagement were observed and the rest of the actions were dictated by situations prevailing in the incident scene," Mendoza said in a press briefing.
"An act of unlawful interference to civil aviation is terroristic in nature and if not dealt with properly will have strong repercussions and will be detrimental to national interest particularly the economy that affects our own people adversely," Mendoza said.
Mendoza pointed out that the two remained "aggressive" despite the negotiators' "soft approach".
"The attacker of the facility, as well as his family, were met with a negative response," Mendoza said.
Mendoza also rejected criticisms that the standoff could have been resolved even without killing Villaruel and Catchillar.
Senate inquiry
Meanwhile, four senators urged the appropriate Senate committee to conduct a legislative inquiry into last Saturday's incident.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, Senate Minority Leader Vicente Sotto and Sens. Ramon Magsaysay Jr. and Robert Barbers have filed separate resolutions on the incident during a session of the Senate last Monday.
The Senate resumed holding sessions Monday after a two-week recess.
In a resolution, Drilon called for a congressional inquiry to look into the probable violation of human rights in the incident amidst reports that Villaruel and Catchillar were ready to surrender when they were allegedly shot to death by the ASG.
He asked the Senate committee on justice and human rights chaired by Sen. Francis Pangilinan and the Senate committee on national defense and security chaired by Magsaysay to investigate the incident.
In addition, Drilon emphasized that the Senate, with its oversight function, should look into the measures being undertaken in the security of vital installations.
"This regretful incident brings in issue how unauthorized and armed individuals can gain access to what is supposed to be a highly-restricted and high security area," Drilon added.
Sotto and Barbers, in separate resolutions, said there is a need to review the security measures being enforced in vital facilities nationwide, particularly at the country's international airports.
"Access to the air traffic control tower should be tightly regulated implementing stringent security measures considering that the air control tower ensures the orderly and scheduled landings and take-offs of airplanes," the resolution said.
Sotto said the incident has raised urgent questions regarding the security of vital installations such as airports and communication facilities in the country.
For his part, Magsaysay is inclined to conduct an investigation on the incident especially on the lapse in security of a sensitive installation like the airport.
"We want to make sure that all key installations in the country are well secured and our military and police on guard," Magsaysay added. Miko Santos/JPM
(November 11, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
 |
| click
to comment on this article or discuss it with other readers |
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Solons vote down move against chief justice