Wails of grief from the families of the slain police commandos broke the silence at the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City, on Saturday, SAF Memorial Day.
The SAF honored 51 fallen commandos in the past year, majority of whom were involved in the bloody “Oplan Exodus,” where 44 police officers were killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on Jan. 25.
“This is an event conducted annually, usually in August. This has been the tradition,” Senior Insp. Jayson Baldos, SAF spokesperson, said on the sidelines of the Memorial Day program.
Most emotional
But this year was the longest and most emotional Memorial Day.
Baldos said that apart from the 44 elite policemen, seven other SAF members slain in the line of duty from August 2014 to the present were also remembered.
The seven were identified as P03 Eusebio Taro, P01 Wilner Sabling, P01 Benjamin Michael Posa, P03 Abelino Bumanghat, P02 Ismael Nahyahan, P03 Teddy Jay Lagahi and P02 Theodore de Guzman.
The program began with a Mass at 7 a.m., followed by a wreath-laying ceremony led by PNP Director General Ricardo Marquez, who was the guest of honor and speaker, and SAF officer in charge Chief Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo at the SAF Memorial Monument.
Roll call
This was followed by a roll call of all SAF members, including the slain commandos.
For each fallen comrade, a bell was rung and a 21-gun salute was rendered.
Helen Ramacula, who lost her son P02 Rodel Ramacula in the Mamasapano clash, was heard wailing during the roll call. “Of course you can’t help but cry when you lose a son,” she said.
“We’re just emotional because it brings back pain. Of course we still feel bad about it,” the mother of PO2 Russel Bilog told Inquirer.net.
In his speech, Marquez paid homage to the SAF commandos, who “gave their lives so that peace and security will prevail.”
Marquez said the “heroes” will “always serve as an inspiration” to every member of the police force when carrying out their tasks.
“Our troopers fought a good fight and we will never ever forget them,” Marquez said.
Apart from the families of the slain commandos, also present were retired NCRPO Regional Director Carmelo Valmoria, relieved SAF Director Getulio Napeñas and members of the United States Army Antiterrorism Assistance.
Transfers
Napeñas described the slain commandos as “very good men.”
“I had been with them for a long time. When I was in Zamboanga, I made sure I visited the families of my fallen men,” Napeñas said.
Meanwhile, SAF spokesperson Senior Insp. Jayson Baldos said the surviving SAF commandos who took part in the Mamasapano operation had transferred to other units.
“I don’t completely know their assignments. All of them left the SAF,” Baldos said on the sidelines of the Memorial Day celebration.
He said that all the 27 commandos were transferred for “security reasons” and were assigned to their preferred regions.
Of the 27, he said one was from the 55th Special Action Co. and the rest were from the 84th Special Action Co. (Seaborne).
“They were given the privilege by the PNP to choose which unit they wanted to go to,” Baldos said.