PNP says it continues to provide assistance to families of SAF 44

THE PHILIPPINE National Police continues to provide all financial assistance due the families of the 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in the operation to capture international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias “Marwan” last year, it said Tuesday.

The PNP made this statement following a news report, cited in a press release by Sen. Bongbong Marcos, quoting at least two “SAF 44” widows complaining of unfulfilled or insufficient promises of government aid.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Senior Supt. Manuel Abu belied such claims, estimating that at least P2 million in cash have been released to each SAF 44 beneficiary family over the past year alone.

“As far as the PNP organization is concerned, all of the legal assistance entitled were already given. If there are those who have not received it, they can proceed to our office so we can take action on it ASAP,” said Abu, chief of the PNP morale and welfare division under the directorate for personnel and records management.

Abu said if the assistance was expected from another government agency, the PNP was willing to conduct “lateral coordination” with the concerned parties.

Abu presented the breakdown of assistance given to the SAF 44 beneficiaries as of

Jan. 16, starting with P69.5 million in lump-sum benefits.

This included P250,000 for each family from the President’s Social Fund, P7.6 million from the PNP Special Financial Assistance, P9.6 million in commutation of accumulated leaves, P14.4 million burial and gratuity assistance from the National Police Commission (Napolcom), P1.1 million from the back earned pension of the Napolcom and P24.5 million from the independent Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc.

A total of P1.016 million monthly is also released for pension benefits of the SAF 44 beneficiaries: P526,801 from the PNP and P490,193 from the Napolcom. These has been credited to the beneficiaries’ ATM accounts monthly since April 2015, Abu said.

For educational assistance, 46 dependent children of 28 of the SAF troopers have been given scholarships ranging from P10,000 per year to P30,000 per semester, depending on the educational levels, the PNP Public Information Office said in a statement.

As for housing assistance, the PNP said as of Jan. 8, in coordination with the National Housing Authority, it had completed 32 housing units for the beneficiaries, while 24 were still undergoing construction.

The families also received a total amount of P26.8 million in donations from the Senate, House of Representatives and local government units.

The Government Service Insurance System also gave funeral benefits to each family amounting to P20,000 while San Miguel Foundation sponsored insurance plans and healthcare cards for the beneficiaries.

In addition, the Department of Justice Board of Claims released P10,000 for each family, the PNP public information office said.