THREE other relatives of the Special Action Force troopers killed in the covert Mamasapano operation in January 2015 filed complaints of homicide against former President Benigno Aquino III before the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday.
The complainants—Julie Faustino Danao, mother of PO2 Walner Danao; Celestino Kiangan, father of PO2 Noble Kiangan, and Felecitas Nacino, mother of PO2 Nicky Nacino—were accompanied by their lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio and Dante Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption in the filing of the three counts of reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide.
Included in the charge sheet were dismissed Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and former SAF head Getulio Napeñas.
PO2 Danao was the SAF member who figured in a viral video showing him being kicked in the head and stripped naked by a member of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters after a botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
Topacio said five other kin of the slain SAF troopers will come forward to file the same complaints.
“We have a logistical problem. If only I have my way, I would want all of them to file this month,” he added.
“The others are having a difficult time since they are from Ifugao.”
Topacio said four other relatives of the SAF members have also signified the intention to file suits.
“Some of them are wives from Mindanao,” he said.
“Verily, it would serve well our country and its people for a formal criminal inquiry to be made in court against the respondents, to make the hammer fall where it may, so to speak, and mete justice for the deaths of the 44 patriots,” the complainants’ joint complaint read.
Topacio said Aquino, Purisima and Napeñas must be held liable for 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
Mrs. Nacino called on President Rodrigo Duterte to help them seek justice, denying Aquino’s claim that they were just after some benefits.
Earlier, Erlinda Allaga, mother of PO3 Robert Allaga, and Warlito Mejia, father of PO2 Ephraim Mejia, filed two counts of homicide against Aquino, Purisima and Napeñas before the Ombudsman, saying the ex-president must be held culpable for the deaths of the 44 SAF troopers “due to [his] negligence, imprudence, lack of foresight and lack of skill in the planning, preparation and execution of Oplan Exodus.”
Aquino lost his immunity from lawsuits when he stepped down from power on June 30.
On Jan. 25, 2015, 44 SAF troopers were killed in a botched covert operation to arrest top international terrorists Marwan and Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
