Aquino meets SAF survivors after quashing Mamasapano ‘alternative truth’

BODY OF EVIDENCE President Aquino declares that it was the police Special Action Force (SAF) that killed Malaysian terrorist Marwan on Jan. 25 after his order of a discreet probe on “alternative versions” given by various sources yielded negative. He explains the series of authenticated photos which convinced him of SAF’s rightful claim. JOAN BONDOC

After President Aquino dismissed rumors questioning the Special Action Force’s killing of Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ricardo Marquez met and hosted a dinner for the surviving members of the assault team that attacked the hut of the Malaysian terrorist in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

INQUIRER.net learned that Marquez summoned ten of the 13 former and active members of the 84th Special Action Company (SAC) or Seaborne in a closed-door meeting in his office at the PNP headquarters and held a dinner for them at the “White House,” his official residence in Camp Crame, on Thursday evening.

READ: Aquino puts an end to ‘baseless’ Mamasapano speculation

The meeting and dinner lasted for more than three hours.

Several sources confirmed that from Malacañang, where Aquino gave a five-minute speech affirming that the SAF indeed killed Marwan, Marquez went to Camp Crame to meet the survivors, who flew and traveled to Manila from different provinces on Thursday morning.

Asked how the meeting went, Marquez said in text message: “It was OK. (The purpose of the meeting was) just to personally relay to them that the chief is very proud of them.”

The survivors were also told that Aquino wants to talk to them in person. Sources said the meeting at Malacañang is scheduled at 4 p.m. on Friday.

Making it up to SAF

During the meeting, a survivor told INQUIRER.net in an interview that Marquez explained to them why President Aquino ordered a discreet investigation on the “alternative version” of what really happened in the January 25 operation of SAF against Marwan.

“The PNP chief told us that he did not bear the SAF any grudges. He said the President only wants to know the truth after hearing rumors from other units,” he said.

“Sir Marquez also told us that the President wants to make it up to the SAF, that he wants to rebuild the SAF after the morale of the troopers has been affected by the issues.”

Like what Marquez had told the media, the survivor said the PNP chief told them that he is “very proud of (his) commandos.”

“Sir Marquez was very happy. We were all very happy.”

Although some of the police officials and the troopers were pleased with Aquino’s pronouncement, some Mamasapano survivors said they still could not give their “hundred-percent trust” to the President after how he treated the SAF after the tragedy.

Asked if he was satisfied with the President’s statement, the survivor said: “Our wounds are still healing. I’m happy with how CPNP praised us but as to the President, I can’t give him my full trust yet. Pero maipalabas lang sa publiko ang totoo, masaya na rin kami (The moment the truth comes out in the public, we will be happy).”

READ: Ex-SAF chief: Troops vindicated but Aquino should trust his men

‘We just want to be appreciated’

In the meeting, the troopers raised their concerns after the high-risk operation that almost took their lives. Forty-four of their comrades died in the raid against Marwan.

“Malacañang wants to review our rewards and medals, especially for PO2 Romeo Cempron. We also nominated Senior Inspector Gednat Tabdi as a Medal of Valor recipient. All of us in the 84th (SAF) believe that he deserves to have a Valor medal,” he added.

Cempron was previously taken out in the list of awardees, allegedly ordered by the Palace, during the PNP’s police service anniversary in August. He was supposed to posthumously receive the highest service medal through his wife Christine.

READ: SAF men removed from PNP awards list

Meanwhile, Tabdi is the team leader of the assault force who cut off Marwan’s finger for DNA analysis.

“CPNP (PNP chief) also asked us to tell him how the assault on Marwan exactly happened. It was the first time Sir Marquez met with the survivors,” he said.

After the meeting in Marquez’s office, the survivors were invited for dinner at the White House just across the PNP’s National Headquarters building.

The survivors also said they felt privileged to have a dinner with Marquez and his family, whom they said were “very down-to-earth.”

“Sa totoo lang po, mababaw lang ang kaligayahan ng SAF. Pakainin mo lang kami ng sardinas masaya na kami. Ang mindset namin kasi, malay mo mamatay na kami bukas, sana man lang maappreciate kami (The truth is, SAF troopers are easily pleased. Feed us with sardines and we are happy.

That’s because our mindset is we might die tomorrow, so we just want to be appreciated.),” the survivor added. Julliane Love de Jesus/IDL

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