44 Fallen PNP SAF (Photo : www.philstar.com)
President Benigno Aquino Jr. announced Jan. 30 as Philippine National day of mourning to honor the fallen men of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police. Forty-four elite members of the SAF were slain while fighting the rebels in a raid that occurred on Jan. 25, Sunday.
Aquino conducted a ceremony in honors of the deceased servicemen on Jan. 30, Friday. All government offices and agencies were ordered to lower the Philippine flags at half-mast as a sign of respect for the departed ones, Time reported.
The SAF members were within the grounds controlled by the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamapasano, Maguindanao in southern Philippines. It is believed from intelligence unit that two high end terrorist groups were hiding within the area. The rebel commanders claim that the law enforcement has not been coordinating with them before moving in their jurisdiction and members acted only on self-defense when the firefight started.
The killing of 44 members of the SAF in the combat was deemed a success, according to officials, due to the death of the Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir, also known as Marwan, a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah and a skilled bomb expert. Marwan was claimed to have been killed before on the earlier encounters with the authorities, according to a previous report from BBC, such allegations have not been true.
Aquino pleaded to the nation on Jan. 28, Wednesday to continue to support the peace talks between the law enforcement and the rebels in the conflict-riven southern part of the country.
Marching along the grounds of Villamor Air Base were SAF members carrying 44 numbered coffins brought back from Maguindanao. Each coffin was draped with the Philippine flag and carried on a slow marching pace across air base area, according to Philippine Star.
General Leonardo Espina, Acting PNP Chief Deputy Director, led in honoring the fallen brothers in service together with the families of the departed.
