Wounds stay fresh for brothers of slain officer

IN MEMORIAM Police officers Alchin (right) and Rogdan Tabdi, brothers of slain SAF 44 team leader Chief Insp. Gednat Tabdi, commemorate the third death anniversary of their brother with a wreath at the Cordillera Heroes Monument at Camp Bado Dangwa in La Trinidad, Benguet, on Friday. Another sibling, Shagar, is also a member of SAF. —KARLSTON LAPNITEN

CAMP DANGWA, BENGUET—Four years after the ill-fated Special Action Force (SAF) operation to capture a terrorist in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, the death of Chief Insp. Gednat Tabdi remains a bitter pill to swallow for his brothers Alchin and Rogdan, who are also police officers.

“Every time Jan. 25 comes, I remember him and the other SAF [men] and it still hurts,” Alchin, 29, said during Friday’s commemoration of the death of 44 SAF commandos in Mamasapano in 2015.

Tabdi was credited for leading the group that killed Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, during the operation.

Fourth brother

Alchin is the third sibling after Gednat, and Rogdan is the fifth. The fourth brother, Shagar, is also a SAF member.

At the time of Tabdi’s death, Alchin and Rogdan were junior police officers.

“We’re still awaiting justice but we’re slowly moving on,” Rogdan said.

Charges had been filed against former President Benigno Aquino III, former Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima and former SAF Director Getulio Napeñas, who were held responsible for the botched operation.

“Our justice system takes a long process but while the case is still there, we are hopeful for a positive turnout,” Alchin said.

Mother wore black shirt

A memorial Mass was offered on Friday at Tabdi’s house at Sitio Buyagan in Barangay Poblacion here, following a wreath-laying ceremony in honor of the 44 SAF men who died in the operation.

Their mother, Edna, wore a black shirt printed with Gednat’s face.

Rogdan said it was Gednat who inspired them to enter the police service.

Alchin said his brother’s death almost dissuaded them from continuing their police training but they realized it might not be what Gednat had wanted.

They would like to enter the SAF like Gednat and Shagar but their mother was against it.

“I hope the government will give more support to our officers fighting the terrorists,” Alchin said.