Some kin of SAF 44 complain of not receiving gov’t benefits

SOME family members of the slain 44 Special Action Force troopers in the Mamasapano operation have told Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. that they have not received any benefits the government has promised them.

But just when the families raised the concern to the senator, the Philippine National Police issued a statement that the surviving kin of the slain commandos have received almost P70 million lumpsum benefits.

“I just came from a PNPA event and the families of the #SAF44 raised that none of the promised benefits to them have been delivered,” Marcos posted in his Twitter Thursday.

The event the senator attended was the incorporation rites of PNP Academy class of 2019 last Wednesday at Camp General Mariano Castañeda in Silang, Cavite.

But according to the PNP, the families of the SAF members have received a total of P69,566,524.88 from the Office of the President, the National Police Commission and the PNP.

Spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfredo Franco said the lumpsum benefits include P250,000 each from the President’s Social Fund totaling P11 million; P 174,600.75 each from the PNP’s Special Financial Assistance totaling P 7.6 million; and P218,294.19 each in commutation of accrued leaves totaling P9.6 million.

Also included in the P70 million is the P11 million cash donation to the families from Senate, House of Representatives and local government of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

Other individual lumpsum benefits received by each of the families include an average P26,062.79 in back-earned pension from the PNP; an average of P65,759.80 in Burial Benefits from the Napolcom; average of P263,039.18 Napolcom Gratuity, an average of P38,222.36 back-earned pension from Napolcom and an average of P557,677.12 insurance benefits from the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc.

In addition to the lumpsum benefits and cash donations, qualified beneficiaries will receive an average monthly pension of P12,000.00 from the PNP and another P16,000.00 average monthly pension from the Napolcom.

This means each beneficiary has received, through paychecks, an average of P1,593,656.19 in total lumpsum benefits depending on rank.

As for the pension payments, Franco said these were released through the individual ATM accounts of the beneficiaries with the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Aside from financial benefits, the Napolcom is also granting educational scholarship to deserving children of the slain SAF men.

Forty-four elite SAF commandos died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao during the January 25 operation against international terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir or Marwan and Abdul Basit Usman. AC