WATCH: SAF’s 84th Seaborne clash with MILF after killing Marwan

All members of the team of police commandos that neutralized suspected terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan were alive when one of its members who survived the Mamasapano incident started recording on his mobile phone their firefight with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

In an exclusive interview with GMA News, the survivor took pride in the Special Action Force's taking down Marwan and saluted their former chief, sacked PNP-SAF chief Director Getulio Napeñas.

"Mission accomplished kami dyan and then I salute General Napeñas kasi nakuha namin ang Osama Bin Laden ng Asia na si Marwan," said the survivor who gave the interview on the condition that his face wouldn't be shown to protect his identity.

President Benigno Aquino III earlier this week blamed Napeñas for allegedly deceiving him as regards the preparations for the mission to neutralize Marwan.

The SAF commandos figured in firefights with the MILF and its breakaway group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters after successfully killing the suspected terrorist, a Malaysian. The government has an existing peace agreement with the MILF.

Forty-four commandos died, including nine from the 84th Seaborne, the team that attacked Marwan's hut. The supposed blocking force from the 55th Special Action Company was nearly wiped out as only one survived the clash.


 

The survivor said their group managed to get a few hundred meters near the 55th SAF and tried to support them but the enemies' numbers were simply overwhelming.

 

“Pinilit namin silang tulungan, nakadikit kami sa kanila ng mga 500 metro pero masyado malakas ang mga kalaban,” he said.
 

He said the encounter started as early as 5 a.m. that day but it was around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the same day when his unit started getting serious casualties. —Andrei Medina/NB, GMA News