ILOILO City – The man who triggered a shooting incident at the Iloilo International Airport in Cabatuan, Iloilo for carrying a bladed weapon remains hospitalized under police guard, as authorities confirmed that criminal charges have already been filed against him.
Police said Roland Lañojan, 54, of Sagay, Camiguin, is still recovering at the Western Visayas Medical Center here after he was shot by a member of the Philippine National Police’s Aviation Security Unit 6 (AVSEU-6) during an “unruly” incident inside the airport on January 28.
According to Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) director Police Colonel Bayani Razalan, Lañojan sustained a gunshot wound to the lower portion of his right shoulder and remains under tight security by the joint personnel of AVSEU-6 and the Cabatuan Municipal Police Station.
During a briefing before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Iloilo on February 5, Razalan also disclosed that police filed a criminal complaint for direct assault with attempted homicide against the suspect on January 29.
Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Louie Dionglay, officer-in-charge of AVSEU-6, said initial interviews indicated the incident may have involved a first-time air traveler unfamiliar with airport security rules.
Dionglay said Lañojan arrived in Iloilo from Cebu on January 26 via roll on, roll off vessel after escorting a truckload of steel bars, and was supposed to return to Cebu by plane — allegedly his first-ever flight.
“Baka hindi niya alam na bawal ‘yung kutilsyo,” Dionglay said.
For his part, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Iloilo terminal supervisor Arthur Parreño said that prior to the shooting, the suspect had already drawn concern after allegedly bumping into another passenger on the ground floor.
“May reklamo isang pasahero na binangga sia ng tao na ‘yun, kaya lang parang hindi pa rin red flag,” Parreño said, noting that the behavior was not initially flagged as a security threat.
Parreño added that airport personnel even assisted Lañojan after noticing he was moving through the terminal without a boarding pass, possibly due to confusion as a first-time flyer.
“Nagka-problema sia kasi tuloy-tuloy lang sia, wala pa nga siyang boarding pass eh. Pinabalik sia sa ibaba, ina-ssist sia,” he said./PN