Aquino’s failure to mention SAF 44 in Sona reignites kin’s pain

Pictures of the slain PNP SAF killed in an alleged “misencounter” with MILF and BIFF in Mamasapano,Maguindanao displayed outside the gates of Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

ROSELLE Nacino “lost her appetite” when President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address made no mention of the gallantry of the slain 44 troopers of the Special Action Force who took part in the operation to take down international terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan.

Aquino cited in his report to the nation the killing of Malaysian terrorist as one of his administration’s gains, but not a word for the SAF 44.

Roselle is the wife of PO3 Nicky Nacino who was part of the bloody raid led by elite policemen against Marwan and his Filipino protégé Abdul Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25. It was the single deadliest police operation in the history of the Philippine National Police.

“It pains me that the President did not even thank the SAF 44 for their ultimate sacrifice,” said Roselle in a phone interview with INQUIRER.net on Tuesday.

PO3 Nacino’s wife said she watched Aquino deliver his Sona at home while having a snack. “Nawalan ako ng gana sa napanood ko. Buti pa ‘yung barbero at stylist pinasalamatan niya,” she lamented.

Even those who survived in the deadly mission were not mentioned by Aquino when he declared Marwan’s killing as one of his administration’s achievements, said Roselle. “Sana pati survivors ni-recognize niya to boost their morale.”

Asked to give a comment, one of the SAF men who survived the operation chose to keep silent on the President’s snub of the SAF men’s effort and willingness to lay down their lives in exchange for the mission.

Nita Cadiang, aunt of PO2 Joseph Sagonoy, said everyone in the Sagonoy family anticipated Aquino’s SONA. They expected the President to say something about the SAF operation.

“Inaabangan po namin kasi ineexpect namin na papasalamatan niya ang SAF 44. Pero hindi man lang niya nabanggit. Sumama talaga loob namin,” Cadiang said.

Sagonoy, 26, was the youngest among the SAF troopers who were sent to Mamasapano. He was the police officer mercilessly shot by an unknown gunman in a viral video that triggered public outrage.

The incident had been branded by the Senate in its report as a “massacre.”

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