44 PNP-SAF officers slain in Mamapasano clash to be promoted

The Philippine National Police on Thursday revealed that the 44 slain elite cops from the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force will receive posthumous promotion after sacrificing their lives to capture suspected terrorists in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao.

 

"Nagkaroon ng deliberation noong isang araw na lahat sila, all 44 of them, will be promoted to the next higher rank," PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo told reporters after the arrival honors for the slain officers at Villamor Air Base.

 

Aside from the posthumous promotion, the PNP special promotion and awards board is also looking to award the "Medalya ng Katapangan" to the slain cops.

 

For the 12 PNP SAF personnel who survived during the firefight, the promotions board will award them with the "Wounded Personnel Medal," Cerbo said.

 

"Meron po kaming ibang processing sa survivor pero umasa po kayo na hindi naman po namin nakakalimutan 'yung contribution na ginawa nila," the PNP spokesman said. 

 

Last Sunday, 44 members of the PNP SAF were killed during a firefight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

 

The elite cops' mission was to serve arrest warrants to two suspected terrorists—Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdulbasit Usman—who were confirmed to be in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao.

 

On Thursday morning, the PNP SAF members were given arrival honors at Villamor Air Base. Three C-130s ferried the remains of 42 elite cops. The bodies of two Muslim policemen were buried in Mindanao 24 hours after their bodies have been retrieved, as per Islam custom.

 

Benefits

 

According to Cerbo, each of the policemen will be given at least P950,000 as benefits, depending on their length of service and rank.

 

With the posthumous promotion and the awards that the cops may receive, their kin will have more benefits.

 

The PNP spokesman added that the police leadership is also studying to create a scholarship program for the dependents of the fallen SAF members.

 

"Sabi nga ng ating Pangulo, we should maximize all benefits na pwede naming ibigay," Cerbo said. "Aside from the honors, important rin 'yung benefits na dapat tanggapin ng mga maiiwan."

 

He added that the PNP assigned a protocol officer to each victim's family to make sure that all the benefits will be given. 

 

After the arrival honors at Villamor Air Base, the remains of the victims were brought to the funeral parlor.

 

A necrological service for the fallen heroes is scheduled on Friday at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

 

President Benigno Aquino III declared Friday as a national day of mourning for the 44 SAF members. —KG, GMA News