Respect Duterte move to grant Medal of Valor to 42 SAF men—Palace

Relatives of SAF 44 men from the Cordillera plant banners for the officers in Badiwan Hobbitat in Tuba, Benguet province. RICHARD BALONGLONG

Let’s respect President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision.

This was the statement of Malacañang on Tuesday after Retired Air Force General Ramon Farolan, in an Inquirer column, called on Duterte to reconsider his decision of granting the Medal of Valor to the 42 Special Action Force (SAF) slain during the Mamasapano encounter in 2015.

READ: Not the Medal of Valor, please

“The President already signed last February 8 the posthumous conferment of the Medal of Valor to 42 SAF members. The Appointments Office is still working on the schedule of the awarding ceremony, ” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told reporters in a Palace briefing.

“So I think we need to respect the President’s judgment call,” he added.

In a speech before families of the slain commandos in January, Duterte ordered Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa to study the possible conferment of the Medalya ng Kagitingan to the 42 SAF members.

Two of the SAF troopers, Senior Insp. Gednat Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron, were earlier awarded the Medalya ng Kagitingan.

READ: Deserving SAF 44 men to receive Medal of Valor – Duterte

On February 8, Duterte approved the conferment of the Medal of Valor (Medalya ng Kagitingan) on the 42 SAF commandos after the National Police Commission (Napolcom) recommended to the President to award the Medalya ng Kagitingan to the slain troopers. RAM/rga

READ: Duterte OKs conferment of Medal of Valor on 42 fallen SAF men