Malacañang on Friday denied that it was behind the alleged deliberate exclusion of Special Action Force (SAF) troopers from the list of awardees during the Philippine National Police (PNP) anniversary.
“The Office of the President has no participation in the selection of police officers and individuals that were given recognition in connection with the 114th anniversary of the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement.
“According to the PNP, the evaluation process for the proposed giving of the Medal of Valor, which is ‘the highest award that can be bestowed to any member of the PNP and the Armed Force of the Philippines, requires a lengthy process and a thorough evaluation, for which reason the review could not be completed on time despite our best efforts,’” he explained.
INQUIRER.net earlier reported that two SAF officers involved in the controversial Mamasapano operation were slated to receive service medals but that their names were later ordered removed.
READ: SAF men removed from PNP awards list
PO2 Romeo Cempron, among the 44 SAF troopers killed in the misencounter, was supposed to receive a Medal of Valor (Medalya ng Kagitingan), according to a PNP memorandum. Meanwhile, Superintendent Raymund Train was supposed to be awarded a PNP Distinguished Conduct Medal (Medalya ng Kabayanihan).
Despite Cempron’s widow being informed of the award, a source said the Presidential Management Staff verbally instructed the PNP to remove the Mamasapano awardees.
The source said, “The President did not want to bring back the memories of the Mamasapano [encounter].”
The PNP, on the other hand, said there was a delay in the process. It said that while they wanted to honor the SAF troopers, there is a lengthy process that should be followed.
READ: PNP: Awards for SAF men just delayed
The Mamasapano operation or Oplan Exodus was among the defining moments of the Aquino administration. Aquino was accused to allowing a suspended official, then PNP Chief Alan Purisima, to direct the operation. While the SAF was able to kill international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, 44 policemen and 17 Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters were killed in an encounter. At least three civilians also died.
Aquino has since been criticized for his decisions pertaining to the covert operation. He has also received flak for supposedly avoiding the topic in his last State of the Nation Address (Sona).