Pain of losing SAF 44 still lingers; several questions still unanswered
Published Jan 25, 2019 02:40 pm
By Martin Sadongdong
Four years have passed since the tragic death of 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), known today as the SAF 44, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao but the pain of their loss still lingers.
TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN 44 – The faces of the 44 troopers who were killed during the Mamasapano incident are displayed during a ceremony Friday at SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)
On Friday, their heroism and gallantry was remembered at the fourth “National Day of Remembrance for SAF 44” in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Helen, mother of slain commando Police Officer 2 Rodel Ramacula, couldn't help but reminisce the days he had with her son during the occasion.
“A lot of years have passed but I still miss my son. His sweet gestures toward me, his smile, and his concern for us – his family, are still etched in my mind.
But every time I remember the heroism of my son and his colleagues, the pain in my heart is eased. This is because I know he offered his life to ensure the safety of the Filipino people against international terrorist Marwan,” Helen said in Filipino.
“One time, my son told me that a SAF commando's sworn oath is like no other. His sworn oath is to protect the nation and it should be fulfilled even at the expense of his own life,” she recalled.
Leading the event, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde recalled Operation Exodus, the intelligence-led operation to neutralize wanted Malaysian bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan; Ahmad Akmad Usman alias Abdul Basit Usman, a Filipino bomb-making expert who led a specialized group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF); and other terrorists in Mamasapano town on January 25, 2015.
Operation Exodus resulted in the death of Marwan but at the expense of the lives of the 44 police commandos. Usman was later killed on May 3, 2015 in a reported encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to the military.
“It has been four years since the tragedy jolted the national police and the entire nation but the pain brought by this loss has lingered in our hearts, reminding us every now and then of the great sacrifices made by our valiant troopers in the line of duty,” Albayalde said before the new generation of SAF commandos and the families of the slain troopers.
A SAF trooper himself, Albayalde said a commando will never back down on any operation no matter how risky and dangerous it might be.
This, Albayalde said, is the attitude that should be emulated by the new generation of police commandos.
“As Chief PNP, I have brought with me to the helm of the PNP the heart of a SAF trooper. This is a heart that breathes discipline and courage, a heart that is honest and firm in its principles, a heart that encourages competence in every endeavor,” he emphasized.
By virtue of Presidential Proclamation 164, January 25 was declared the day of national remembrance for the heroic sacrifice of the 44 SAF troopers.
Death did not go in vain
Every year after the Jan. 25, 2015 bloody encounter, retired police Director Benjamin Magalong is reminded of the 44 young men, 14 of whom were Cordillerans, who showed courage in the line of fire.
The death of the troopers did not go in vain, Magalong said, as their passing is a vindication for the neutralization of the most wanted terrorists – Zulkifli Bin Hir “aka Marwan” and Abdul Basit Usman.
Magalong, who chaired the Philippine National Police board of inquiry that probed the case, recalled the day he received a text message from the men while they were in crossfire.
“January 25 is a day of mourning for me. I can still remember 'yung text message na napapalaban sila and I can’t do anything. Noong hindi na sila makontak, I was trying to get in touch with everyone pero wala naman silang mai-provide sa akin na real time information kaya talagang nalulungkot ako (I can still remember the text message that they were in a battle and I can’t do anything. Then I can no longer contact them, I tried to get in touch with everyone but nobody can provide real-time information. That saddened me),” Magalong said.
He said the wounds of the tragedy are still fresh, not just because he was a policeman but he used to be a former SAF trooper himself and the founder of the Seaborne – an elite group of SAF troopers.
Grieving mother waiting justice
Helen, meanwhile, thanked the national government for not letting the memories of the gallantry of the SAF 44 fade into memory. But urged President Duterte to fast-track the case against the individuals who should be held liable for the commandos’ death.
By principle of command responsibility, former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is now facing charges for usurpation of authority and graft before the Ombudsman.
“Until now, there is still no resolution to this case. I wish justice will soon be served to us. I hope the present government helps us,” Helen said.
She also expressed gratitude to the financial help from the national government but bared it has not yet been fully fulfilled.
A financial assistance worth more than P200,000 has already been given to the family of PO2 Ramacula and others.
But Helen revealed that the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) has yet to fulfill the promised P80,000 worth of livelihood assistance to them.
Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac, newly installed PNP spokesman, said they will coordinate with the concerned agency to deliver the promised assistance to all the families of the SAF 44.
“We will not abandon the families of the SAF 44. We will help them in coordinating with other government agencies so that the benefits and assistance that shall be given to them will be provided by these agencies,” Banac said.
Questions left unanswered
Four years have passed, yet more questions are still left unanswered.
“Bakit nga ba talaga hindi nagpaputok ng artillery? Ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa Zamboanga? Ano ba laman ng cellphones nila? (Why did they not fire artillery? What happened in Zamboanga? What was the content of their cellphones?),” Magalong asked, stressing these are just some of the questions that still hover over his head.
When Magalong was appointed to head the Board of Inquiry that probed into the case, they were given only a month to finish the task.
“I still have numerous questions still hanging but it was the best that we can do in one and a half month. If we were given adequate time, four or five months, siguro mas marami pa kaming na-uncover (we would have uncovered more). It would be very impossible to uncover the critical issues and pieces of evidence given only a month. We should have established more facts about the case, uncover a lot more of the critical issues, more pieces of evidence and that would give us a better picture of what really happened,” Magalong said.
The questions would continue to hound Magalong's mind, and all that he could ask for now is peace of mind for him and the troopers' families. (With a report from PNA)
TRIBUTE TO THE FALLEN 44 – The faces of the 44 troopers who were killed during the Mamasapano incident are displayed during a ceremony Friday at SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)
On Friday, their heroism and gallantry was remembered at the fourth “National Day of Remembrance for SAF 44” in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Helen, mother of slain commando Police Officer 2 Rodel Ramacula, couldn't help but reminisce the days he had with her son during the occasion.
“A lot of years have passed but I still miss my son. His sweet gestures toward me, his smile, and his concern for us – his family, are still etched in my mind.
But every time I remember the heroism of my son and his colleagues, the pain in my heart is eased. This is because I know he offered his life to ensure the safety of the Filipino people against international terrorist Marwan,” Helen said in Filipino.
“One time, my son told me that a SAF commando's sworn oath is like no other. His sworn oath is to protect the nation and it should be fulfilled even at the expense of his own life,” she recalled.
Leading the event, PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde recalled Operation Exodus, the intelligence-led operation to neutralize wanted Malaysian bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan; Ahmad Akmad Usman alias Abdul Basit Usman, a Filipino bomb-making expert who led a specialized group of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF); and other terrorists in Mamasapano town on January 25, 2015.
Operation Exodus resulted in the death of Marwan but at the expense of the lives of the 44 police commandos. Usman was later killed on May 3, 2015 in a reported encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to the military.
“It has been four years since the tragedy jolted the national police and the entire nation but the pain brought by this loss has lingered in our hearts, reminding us every now and then of the great sacrifices made by our valiant troopers in the line of duty,” Albayalde said before the new generation of SAF commandos and the families of the slain troopers.
A SAF trooper himself, Albayalde said a commando will never back down on any operation no matter how risky and dangerous it might be.
This, Albayalde said, is the attitude that should be emulated by the new generation of police commandos.
“As Chief PNP, I have brought with me to the helm of the PNP the heart of a SAF trooper. This is a heart that breathes discipline and courage, a heart that is honest and firm in its principles, a heart that encourages competence in every endeavor,” he emphasized.
By virtue of Presidential Proclamation 164, January 25 was declared the day of national remembrance for the heroic sacrifice of the 44 SAF troopers.
Death did not go in vain
Every year after the Jan. 25, 2015 bloody encounter, retired police Director Benjamin Magalong is reminded of the 44 young men, 14 of whom were Cordillerans, who showed courage in the line of fire.
The death of the troopers did not go in vain, Magalong said, as their passing is a vindication for the neutralization of the most wanted terrorists – Zulkifli Bin Hir “aka Marwan” and Abdul Basit Usman.
Magalong, who chaired the Philippine National Police board of inquiry that probed the case, recalled the day he received a text message from the men while they were in crossfire.
“January 25 is a day of mourning for me. I can still remember 'yung text message na napapalaban sila and I can’t do anything. Noong hindi na sila makontak, I was trying to get in touch with everyone pero wala naman silang mai-provide sa akin na real time information kaya talagang nalulungkot ako (I can still remember the text message that they were in a battle and I can’t do anything. Then I can no longer contact them, I tried to get in touch with everyone but nobody can provide real-time information. That saddened me),” Magalong said.
He said the wounds of the tragedy are still fresh, not just because he was a policeman but he used to be a former SAF trooper himself and the founder of the Seaborne – an elite group of SAF troopers.
Grieving mother waiting justice
Helen, meanwhile, thanked the national government for not letting the memories of the gallantry of the SAF 44 fade into memory. But urged President Duterte to fast-track the case against the individuals who should be held liable for the commandos’ death.
By principle of command responsibility, former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is now facing charges for usurpation of authority and graft before the Ombudsman.
“Until now, there is still no resolution to this case. I wish justice will soon be served to us. I hope the present government helps us,” Helen said.
She also expressed gratitude to the financial help from the national government but bared it has not yet been fully fulfilled.
A financial assistance worth more than P200,000 has already been given to the family of PO2 Ramacula and others.
But Helen revealed that the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) has yet to fulfill the promised P80,000 worth of livelihood assistance to them.
Senior Superintendent Bernard Banac, newly installed PNP spokesman, said they will coordinate with the concerned agency to deliver the promised assistance to all the families of the SAF 44.
“We will not abandon the families of the SAF 44. We will help them in coordinating with other government agencies so that the benefits and assistance that shall be given to them will be provided by these agencies,” Banac said.
Questions left unanswered
Four years have passed, yet more questions are still left unanswered.
“Bakit nga ba talaga hindi nagpaputok ng artillery? Ano ba talaga ang nangyari sa Zamboanga? Ano ba laman ng cellphones nila? (Why did they not fire artillery? What happened in Zamboanga? What was the content of their cellphones?),” Magalong asked, stressing these are just some of the questions that still hover over his head.
When Magalong was appointed to head the Board of Inquiry that probed into the case, they were given only a month to finish the task.
“I still have numerous questions still hanging but it was the best that we can do in one and a half month. If we were given adequate time, four or five months, siguro mas marami pa kaming na-uncover (we would have uncovered more). It would be very impossible to uncover the critical issues and pieces of evidence given only a month. We should have established more facts about the case, uncover a lot more of the critical issues, more pieces of evidence and that would give us a better picture of what really happened,” Magalong said.
The questions would continue to hound Magalong's mind, and all that he could ask for now is peace of mind for him and the troopers' families. (With a report from PNA)