Villaruel: Crazy? No. Patriotic, yes

Panfilo Villaruel was not insane. He was a patriot known as a visionary and also for his intense nationalism that some may have found too hot to handle.

"You cannot question his love for country," former Transportation and Communications Secretary Josie Lichauco said. "Crazy, no. Patriotic, yes."

She had worked with Villaruel during the term of former President Fidel Ramos from 1992 to 1998.

A joint special weapons and tactics and Aviation Security Group (ASG) team stormed the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s control tower yesterday and killed Villaruel and Navy Lt. (sg) Richard Gatchillar who seized the tower supposedly to protest government corruption.

Villaruel, head of the Philippine Air Transportation Office (ATO) in the 1990s, was killed with Gatchillar as aviation police regained control of the tower at 3 a.m., officials said.

Military records show Gatchillar carried the rank of lieutenant senior grade after joining the Navy in 1993 as a commissioned officer. He trained under the Navy’s Special Warfare Group.

The two were strapped with explosives and armed with guns and grenades, security officials said after removing the bullet-riddled bodies from a pool of blood in the 11-story tower. Their remains were brought to the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory at Camp Crame for autopsy.

The standoff lasted three hours and ended with the assault after negotiations between Villaruel and Gatchillar and NAIA assistant general manager Angel Atutubo and other government officials failed.

As early as two months ago, Lichauco said she detected anger welling up within Villaruel over national issues when they met at a lecture series in Manila, where Villaruel told her he is "broken-hearted."

"I asked him why and he said ‘there’s too much corruption in the (Arroyo) government,’" she said.

Veteran aviation beat photojournalist Recto Mercene of Today said Villaruel was an idealist and inventor who kept saying Filipinos must learn to believe in themselves. "He said we Filipinos believe too much that we are a third world county," Mercene said.

Radio and television broadcaster Arnold Clavio surmised that Villaruel found the present economic and political situation too dismal to bear.

Inventor, Visionary

Villaruel graduated in 1961 from the Air Force Flying School in Lipa City, Batangas. He was fondly called "captain," despite the fact he left the Philippine Air Force (PAF) with the rank of colonel.

While with the PAF, Villaruel piloted the F-5 Freedom Fighter, a supersonic fighter-interceptor jet.

After his stint at the ATO, Villaruel became the head of the Philippine Aerospace Development Corp. (PADC) from 1996 to 1998. The PADC assembled the S-211 trainer jet used by the PAF.

He earned renown as the inventor of the "Defiant," the first locally produced airplane made of plywood and other local materials.

Villaruel also designed a helicopter out of salvaged parts from other aircraft with the help of local aviation school graduates that they christened the "Hummingbird."

Ideas culled from the Internet were put to use by Villaruel and his co-inventors for constructing the sophisticated rigs used to support the helicopter’s frame.

When his stint at PADC came to a close, the PADC officials who took over from him disassembled the Hummingbird.

Born on June 28, 1941 and nicknamed Jun, Villaruel is the son of Panfilo Villaruel Sr., former section chief of the Navigation Aids (Navaids) of the Civil Aeronautics Commission (CAA).

Surrender And Death

Dejected and resigned, Villaruel told Clavio he was ready to give up his life for his country and did not want to harm anybody. He said that if the police backed off, he would surrender, adding that he wanted to "awaken the people with his acts."

"Villaruel said there was too much politicking in the country, with institutions trying to destroy other institutions," Clavio said. "I think they should have given him a little more time, and there could have been no bloodshed."

When asked to divulge his location, Villaruel refused to do so, "because I might become a target for sniper fire. If I die, my instructions is for them to surrender. If I must give my life, so be it. There are many of us."

"This is my last contribution, my legacy to the decent people of the Philippines — to stand up and tell the leaders of this country to wake up," Villaruel said during the interview. "I am the representative of 82 million Filipinos who are crying for help. I am ready to offer my life."

"We are being murdered here, my friend. I surrender. I surrender," Villaruel screamed in a telephone call broadcast over GMA television and dzBB radio as police launched their assault.

"He was calling my name and saying surrender," Clavio said.

A short burst of gunfire was heard, followed by labored breathing and silence. After the gunshots rang out, a man’s voice was heard amid a background of rasping gasps saying "patay na (they’re dead)."

Police officials later denied that he had been killed while surrendering and insisted that Villaruel and his companion had opened fire first.

Vilaruel reportedly tried approaching ranking government officials, including Defense Secretary Eduardo Ermita to air his concerns, but he was ignored. In fact, Villaruel was "present, despite not being invited," at a party thrown by Ermita in Batangas, a member of Ermita’s staff said. — With Sandy Araneta, Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude, AFP