(FILE) THEY WON’T BE FORGOTTEN Photographs of the 44 Special Action Force troopers who were killed in a botched operation to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir on Jan. 25, 2015, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, provide a somber backdrop to the Day of National Remembrance ceremony held in their honor at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City on Friday. —NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Wednesday honored the 44 Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) members killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25, 2015.
“Ngayong ika-25 ng Enero, ating inaalala ang kabayanihang ipinakita ng 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) officers sa munisipalidad ng Mamasapano noong 2015,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.
(On this day, we remember the bravery and heroism of the 44 PNP-SAF officers in the Municipality of Mamasapano in 2015.)
“Ang kanilang sakripisyo ay ‘di malilimutan at mananatiling inspirasyon para sa bawat Pilipino,” it added.
(Their sacrifice will not be forgotten and will inspire every Filipino.)
When “Oplan Exodus” went wrong in Mamasapano eight years ago, 44 SAF commandos paid the ultimate price.
With a $5 million bounty on his head from the US Department of Justice, the PNP began Oplan Exodus, a counterterrorism operation, to capture the Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, aka Marwan.
Marwan was killed in the operation.