Two killed in Manilla airport siege

Two gunmen who tried to seize the Manila airport air control tower, including a former air transport official, died in a shoot-out with security officers today.

Former air transport office chief Panfilo Villaruel and Ricardo Gatchalian were killed in the gunfight.

Edgardo Manda, general manager of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, said flights were operating normally using an another control tower.

“Our special operations unit has neutralised the situation,” he said.

Officers tried to persuade Villaruel to surrender after he occupied the control tower office but negotiations failed.

It is believed the victims were carrying handguns.

National security adviser Roilo Golez said Villaruel took over a highly sensitive installation that required immediate police action.

He said Villaruel’s action could have paralysed air traffic and affected national security and the economy.

The police treated Villaruel and his companion as a “hostile group, armed and dangerous” and were assaulted by a special operations unit of the police aviation security group, Golez said.

Manda said the pair entered the control tower shortly before midnight local time and ordered air controllers to leave.

He said Villaruel and Gatchalian had been at the airport for several days doing “research”. He did not elaborate but said Villaruel made “very incoherent” statements.

Airport authorities decided about three hours later to take action to prevent disruption of airport operations, Manda said.