Mamasapano farmer returns SAF items

COTABATO CITY—A farmer handed over three items of the 44 police commandos who were killed in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25.

Senior Supt. Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao police chief, said the farmer placed the items inside a sack to make it appear it was agricultural products.

“He asked not to be named for security reason,” Jocson said of the farmer who turned over on Sunday a Special Action Force (SAF) Kevlar helmet, a two-way radio set and ballistic plate of bulletproof vest.

The items are now at the police provincial office in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

Jocson said the farmer was among those who first arrived at the encounter site between the Philippine National Police SAF and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Barangay (village) Tukanalipao.

The farmer said several other villagers also took the fallen policemen’s items like guns, mobile phones, fatigue uniform and combat shoes.

“I hope other farmers or the MILF and BIFF will return the items owned by the slain policemen,” Jocson told the Inquirer.

Forty-four commandos, 18 Moro rebels and five civilians were killed in a police operation that also killed Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan.” His Filipino cohort, Abdul Basit Usman, escaped. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao