The Alpha Phi Omega (APO) fraternity has opened a Facebook page to honor seven of their brods from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who were among the 44 killed in the infamous Mamasapano encounter in Maguindanao province.
The administrator of the “Bayaning Apo” Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pro file.php?id=100009036870018), said the social media account, which was opened on Jan. 28, was created as a tribute to their “fallen heroes.”
The fraternity, which has more than 360 college chapters in the Philippines and several other alumni chapters here and abroad, has named the following slain PNP-SAF troops as members: Ryan Pabalinas, John Garry Erana, Max Jim Tria and Cyrus Anniban—all with the rank of Senior Inspector; Chum Agabon and Roger Cordero—both Police Officers 2; and Police Officer 1 Romeo Cempron.
The page said Pabalinas, Erana, Tria, Agabon and Cempron were fraternity members at Furigay College in Lamitan City, Basilan; Anniban, from the APO chapter at Cagayan State University-Aparri campus; and Cordero, from the Sultan Kudarat State University in Tacurong City.
The Facebook page cover displays a composite photo of the slain policemen (minus Anniban as he was identified as an APO member only on Thursday last week) with the caption “Our snappy salute to all our brothers in the Alpha Phi Omega.”
Its profile space contains a photo of the APO seal with a dedication that reads: “In memory of our brothers who died in Mindanao” and “For dust we are, and to dust we will return (brave men never die, they rest to rise again).”
Most fraternity members with Facebook accounts posted a photo of the APO seal with black ribbon on their profile place.
“We hope the truth will not be buried amid the buck-passing and blame throwing that are now starting among those in command,” said APO national president Mike Taha amid the raging controversy surrounding the dispatch and operational procedures of the PNP-SAF commandos that resulted in the carnage.
“As we wait, however, we now take on this, our most somber undertaking, of mourning our dead and remembering as well that they, too, shared our common vision for a better and more peaceful world,” Taha said in his message to the fraternity. Taha asked all APO members here and abroad to contribute to the fund campaign to help the families of the victims.
Mel Gonzales Jr., a US-based APO member and chair of International Council of Alpha Phi Omega, reported that fraternity members in California had an initial collection of $2,230 for the families of the slain fraternity brothers.
Local APO chapters nationwide also held religious ceremonies on Jan. 30 to honor their fallen brothers which coincided with the state-declared National Day of Mourning.