Financial aid to SAF 44’s kin incomplete? We’ll check – Palace

MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Tuesday said it would look into claims that financial assistance for families of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers, who were killed in the 2015 Mamasapano clash, have yet to be given in full by the government.

“We will check on the claim,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a text message, as the country observes the Day of National Remembrance for the death of the SAF commandos.

Helen Ramacula, mother of the late PO2 Rodel Ramacula, told reporters on Friday that a balance of P87,000 is yet to be released to them by the government.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Aquino administration promised P300,000 as additional financial aid to families of SAF 44. INQUIRER.net has sought comment from DSWD, which is yet to respond, as of this posting.

READ: Kin of SAF 44 troopers still waiting for full financial assistance from gov’t

Speaking to reporters, Philippine National Police Spokesperson Sr. Supt. Bernard Banac said the agency had already distributed in full the promised financial assistance and benefits intended for the relatives of the slain troopers.

“As far as the Philippine National Police is concerned, we have already given them the benefits],” Banac said Friday during the Day of National Remembrance for the SAF 44 in Taguig City.

READ: PNP: We have fully released financial aid for SAF 44 relatives

The 44 SAF members were killed in an ill-fated encounter on January 25, 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguinadanao as they launched an operation to arrest Malaysian bomb maker Zufkili Abdhir, alias “Marwan,” and Abdul Basit Usman. /kga