MANILA,(Saba) - Elite government security agents early Saturday stormed the control tower of Manila's airport seized by about 12 armed men headed by a former aviation chief. Kyodo reported.

Police Senior Superintendent Andres Caro, chief of aviation security group, told reporters that at least two men were killed in the assault, including Panfilo Villaruel, the leader of the about 12 men who seized the airport tower.

Villaruel, former chief of the Air Transportation Office and former Philippine
Air Force pilot, seized control of the airport tower before 2 a.m. Saturday along with some 12 men.

Villaruel went on local radio a few hours later to complain about rampant corruption and politicking in government.

The police went on ''full alert'' around the country in the wake of the incident.

''They are firing at us. I think they are out to murder us. We are being killed,'' Villaruel told a radio interviewer later as shots and groan were being heard in the background.

His last words was ''We surrender now!'' followed by groans. Then the phone line was cut off.

Villaruel was appointed as chief of the Air Transportation Office by former President Fidel Ramos.

'We have deployed sufficient security force. All units have been alerted.
We are on alert and checking whether there are other (similar) threats (in the country) but so far none,'' Deputy Director Ricardo de Leon of the Philippine National Police said.

''We are still evaluating the situation,'' he said.
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