FULL TEXT: Marwan’s killers in 84th Seaborne resigned to last stand

Below are excerpts (pages 21 to 22) from the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry's report on the Mamasapano incident released on Friday.

 

This details what the PNP's 84th Special Action Force Seaborne—the raiding team that killed Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan—went through based on personal accounts from surviving members as they conducted Oplan Exodus in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25, 2015. —Andrei Medina/NB, GMA News

 

 

Following the death of Marwan, the Seaborne made its exit from the target area under fire and rushed toward the route they used during the infiltration. Upon hearing that 55th SAC was engaged, the Seaborne was determined to reinforce them. Halted by an amassing troop of armed hostilities in a nearby encampment, the Seaborne was pushed to engage in a fire fight. At this point, they exercised maximum fire discipline, taunting them to engage enemies only if they had clear target. They managed to overrun the encampment at past 8:00 a.m.

 

They moved to the south west determined to link up with the 55SAC. Along the way, they were assaulted with rifle and mortar fire. [Superintendent Raymond] Train thought his comrades were all dead following a mortar fire which hit two-meters away from the group of Senior Police Officer 4 Bill Fernando Jumalon. To his surprise, no one incurred injury at this time, enabling them to pull back and regroup from their previous location. As they maneuvered, Reniendo got hit by a sniper fire on the vest and by a splinter in his left arm. Reniendo was the second casualty of the group.

 

By 11:00 a.m., Train received an SMS message to cease fire from Police Senior Inspector Lyndon Espe, officer of the TCP. Enemy fire stopped for an hour only, then in the next few minutes, massive volume of fire and mortar rounds resumed from different directions. At around noon time, Train pleaded for reinforcement from the TCP. Train, at this point, decided to reroute and head east where there was less enemy fire. While maneuvering, they tactically moved using “bounding overwatch” technique where one team was moving while the other team was laying cover fire.

 

The Seaborne, separated by groups in a 300-meter stretch of cornfield, dodged bullets by crawling across the marshland. After crossing the open field, Train recounted that a bottle of IV fluid quenched the thirst of over ten (10) men. Enjoying the last drops of the fluid while drinking, he even forgot for a while that he was being fired at and exposed to enemy fire. Meanwhile, Assistant Team Leader of Team 4, Lover Inocencio, was hit on both legs while moving.

 

By past noon, Train and his group reached a remote nipa hut covered by trees and rice paddies. While the group found refuge in the lone hut that served as their “safe haven,” another group of Seaborne, led by [Senior Insp. Gednat] Tabdi, moved ahead. At the moment, the troop regained energy after feeding on sugarcane and young corn. Train even remembered a wounded comrade, Police Officer 3 Virgel Villanueva, who talked about his growing kid. Train assured him that they would all survive the ordeal and be reunited with their families. Villanueva was later shot on the head and died at the hospital. He was remembered fighting for his life amid serious injuries.

 

Around past 2:00 p.m., Train and five (5) others headed toward the position of the other team who was pinned down in the slope near the river. At this point, the hostiles were in line formation at the other side of the river shooting indiscriminately. They were under heavy rifle and mortar fire at this hour. The team, pinned down by hostiles familiar with the terrain, returned fire. From time to time, Train would hear groans and cries from his wounded men. He recounted screams of “I love you, mommy,” “I love you, baby,” and “I love Seaborne,” from his comrades in the hours that followed. At one point, he even thought Tabdi, who was beside him at the front line of defense, was loading ammunition. It was with great grief that he found him dead from a head shot. The Commandos were already bidding goodbyes and entrusting their families with each other. They all resigned to their fate that it would probably be their last stand.

 

PSI Rix Villareal recalled how the Seaborne team that stayed near the hut survived the attack. He was unconscious for thirty (30) seconds when he was hit by a bullet in the head. When he regained consciousness, he fought back despite his wound. By late afternoon, he ordered Jumalon to throw hand grenades towards the enemies' location. They held their position until the enemy stopped approaching.

 

He again directed Jumalon to send their Grid Coordinate to the ACP and to Train as they slowly crawled back and linked with another team from their left side. At this juncture, they held ground until nightfall.

 

The Commandos could have fought their way out but they did not want to leave the thirteen (13) wounded and nine dead bodies behind. Train recalled a comrade begging him, “Huwag niyo kaming iwan, Sir.” They never did.

 

The ordeal lasted until around 5:48 p.m. when the rounds of white phosphorus were delivered and Hostiles ceased from assaulting them. The Seaborne went on to link up with elements of 42SAC and the DRC at 11:30 p.m., January 25, 2015.

 

Train stated, “I cried when I saw the bodies being dragged like pigs. But I want to account for all my men. That was the least we can do for their families – to bring their loved ones back.”