CEBU CITY—Six years have passed, but the families of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who perished in a bloody firefight in Mamasapano, Maguindanao are still clamoring for justice.

(Photo by: Juan Carlo de Vela/ MANILA BULLETIN)

The families of three SAF troopers from Region 7 renewed their call for justice when the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas held its own National Day of Remembrance of SAF 44 on Monday, January 25.

“As of now, there has been no development in the case. Of course, we are still hoping that the justice will be served. We are appealing to the President to help give justice to the deaths of our loved ones,” said Michelle Candano, wife of PO2 Windel Candano.

PO2 Candano, PO1 Romeo Cempron and PO3 Junrel Kibete were the SAF troopers who were from Central Visayas.

While justice remained elusive, the families were still thankful for President Duterte for declaring every January 25th as National Day for Remembrance of the SAF 44.

“We are thankful that every January 25, they pay tribute and remember the gallantry of our loved ones,” said Michelle.

It was last January 25, 2015, when 44 elite SAF troopers were killed in a bloody firefight with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The bloody encounter erupted while the SAF commandos were trying to serve an arrest warrant against top bomb makers Zulkifli bin Hir (alias “Marwan”) and Abdul Basit Usman in a police operation dubbed Oplan Exodus.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) also held a wreath-laying ceremony at the PRO-8 Bantayog ng Bayani in Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, also on Monday.

P/Maj. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson, PNP Director for Personnel and Records Management (TDPRM), led the wreath-laying in the presence of the families of the fallen SAF 44 from Samar and Leyte provinces, namely: Luz Bedua, the mother of late PO2 Glenn Bedua and Kristine Clemencio, the wife of late PO1 Mark Lory Clemencio.

Also present in the ceremony was Rev. Oscar Jaime Llaneta Florencio, Bishop, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines (MOP), who subsequently presided a eucharistic mass in honor of the fallen SAF 44.

Calvin Cordova & Marie Tonette Marticio

Heroism of SAF 44 remembered 6 yrs after Mamasapano massacre