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MANILA - Airport authorities on Friday said the American national who stayed for 3 weeks inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 is no longer under their custody.

“As far as MIAA is concerned, wala na ho sa aming kustodiya 'yung tao at eventually sumama na siya sa kaibigan ng kaniyang anak. Kinuha po nila, mayroon tayong dokumentasyon at sinama po 'yung pasahero,” Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal said in an interview on TeleRadyo.

(As far as MIAA is concerned, he is no longer under our custody and eventually went with a friend of his stepdaughter. They took him, we have documentation and the passenger went with them.)

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Monreal said the best friend of Maurice Francis O’Connor’s stepdaughter returned to the airport Thursday and eventually convinced the 75-year-old to go with them.

“Bumalik ulit kahapon at sumama na 'yung pasahero. Dinala na sa isang hostel sa Makati at pumayag na sumama doon sa kaibigan matalik ng kaniyang anak, 'yung stepdaughter sa Thailand,” said Monreal.

(The friend returned yesterday and the passenger left with them. He was brought to a hostel in Makati, he agreed to go with the friend of his stepdaughter from Thailand.)

Monreal said airport personnel took care of the passenger while at the terminal by giving him food and water. They also gave him a face mask and a face shield but he refused to wear it.

“Eventually we exhausted all efforts. Being a national of the US, tumawag po kami sa embassy. Tapos galing din siya sa Thailand, may asawa po ata siyang Thailander at humihingi kami ng tulong kung paano magkakaroon ng intercession 'yung mga embassy. But for some reason wala tayong nagawa,” he said.

(We called up the US embassy. He said he came from Thailand and has a wife there so we also called the embassy of Thailand and were asking for intercession from these embassies. But for some reason, we couldn’t do anything.)

Monreal said the American seemed to be mentally unstable.

Earlier reports said the 75-year-old American was arrested for unruly behavior and indecency after pulling down his pants in public.

He also destroyed the airport’s COVID-19 information board at the arrival extension area last Feb. 3.

An airport concessionaire also filed a complaint after O'Connor allegedly spilled water on her face. She said the American stole 2 bottles of soda and other food from her.

O'Connor earlier said he hails from Massachusetts and is a Vietnam war veteran. He said he was stranded at the airport after missing his flight to Thailand.