PNP offers Mass in remembrance of fallen SAF 44

WATCH: Pambansang Pulisya, nag-alay ng misa para sa tinaguriang 'SAF 44.' | via @dzbbsamnielsen pic.twitter.com/vlFI7Khm6R

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 25, 2018

The Philippine National Police on Thursday morning offered a Holy Mass in solemn remembrance of 44 members of its Special Action Force (SAF) who perished in a fierce battle on January 25, 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Deputy Director General Archie Francisco Gamboa, chief of the Directorial Staff, represented PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, who is with President Rodrigo Duterte in India, as the guest of honor and speaker.

A PNP statement said newly-installed and comebacking SAF chief Director Noli Taliño hosted the event for the elite maneuver force of the PNP.

National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde led the wreath-laying ceremony.

The families of the fallen SAF 44 were emotional during the program, GMA’s Jun Veneracion reported in GMA News TV’s Balitanghali on Thursday.

The families still could not accept the deaths of their loved ones and they will only be appeased when former President Benigno Aquino III and former PNP chief Alan Purisima are already behind bars.

Former SAF director Getulio Napeñas, who led Oplan Exodus, was among those who attended the program.

Duterte earlier declared January 25 of every year as the Day of National Remembrance for the heroic sacrifice of the 44 SAF commandos who were killed in Mamasapano.

The President signed the Proclamation no. 164 series of 2017 or the National Remembrance for the Heroic Sacrifice of the SAF 44 which serves as “a constant reminder of the continuing sacrifices being made by our valiant uniformed men and women of the PNP.”

The fallen SAF commandos were part of the special mission to serve arrest warrants for ranking international terrorist Malaysian bomber Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan.

But some members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and local armed groups engaged them in a deadly encounter that resulted in the deaths more than 60 people, including 18 rebel fighters and five civilians. —Amita Legaspi/LBG/RSJ/KG, GMA News