THE government said Sunday that the families of the 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in Mamasapano last year have received more than P188 million in assistance.
Reacting to complaints by two widows that they have not received any government help, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said the support included P151.28 million in mandatory lump sum benefits, P10.18 million in monthly pensions paid out from April 2015 to January 2016, and P26.87 million in donations from Congress, the PNP Special Financial Assistance Fund and local government units from Dasmariñas, Cavite.
“This is contrary to accusations or reports that the families did not receive anything,” Coloma said.
According to the law, the immediate family members of those killed in action are covered by government assistance. This includes spouses, parents and children.
Upon the request of the families, the government also gave assistance to 261 extended family members, including cousins, siblings and in-laws.
On the eve of the first anniversary of the Mamasapano massacre on Jan. 25, support grew for the Senate decision to reopen its probe to pin down President Benigno Aquino III’s role in the botched operation.
“We support the reopening of the reinvestigation of the Mamasapano incident with the objective of uncovering additional evidence on the role of the principal actors in the operation, most importantly Aquino, [former police chief Alan] Purisima and the US government,” said Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr.
“To this day, truth and accountability remains elusive as the Aquino government has embarked on a massive and systematic cover-up of the incident,” Bayan’s official statement read.
“Despite these attempts to hide the truth, several reports have already named Aquino as being ultimately responsible for the failed police operation. Several reports have also verified the US forces participation in the operation, a fact that remains illegal under our existing laws.”
An official of the PNP Academy Alumni Association also expressed strong support for the reopening of the Senate investigation.
Retired Police Chief Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, the group’s chairman, said Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s call to conduct an in-depth probe of the Mamasapano massacre was an honorable gesture to unravel the truth behind it.
“Justice has not yet been served to the 44 gallant SAF men and there is a need to ferret out the ‘whole truth’ by reopening and hopefully bringing closure to the case,” Rentoy said in a statement.
Enrile moved to reopen the case to show evidence of the President’s culpability, saying he was actively and directly involved in the planning and preparation of the ill-fated Operation Exodus.
On Saturday, retired police chief superintendent Diosdado Valeroso said he had a digital audio recording between a ranking government official and a lawmaker trying to cover up the turn of events in Mamasapano, in an apparent move to avoid endangering the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, the lynchpin in the government’s peace pact with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Last week, Rentoy sent a letter to Enrile saying that the whole truth was far from being unearthed, despite numerous high-profile investigations.
Officials of the PNPAAAI and Philippine National Police Academy will lead Monday’s wreath laying at the PNPA ground at Camp Mariano Castaneda in Silang, Cavite, to mark the first anniversary of the massacre.
Aside from the wreath-laying ceremony, separate rites will be held at Camp Crame, where President Aquino will bestow the Medal of Valor on Senior Insp. Gednat Tabdi and PO2 Romeo Cempron, who died in the operation—after the awards were withheld last year for reasons unknown.
A year after the incident, the Justice Department has filed cases against 90 members of the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters who took part in the massacre, but no one has yet been arrested.
In calling for new hearings, Enrile said Aquino did nothing to save the 44 SAF troopers when they were being slaughtered.
Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday said he was baffled by the delay in the filing of cases against those responsible for the death of the SAF 44.
“I don’t know why it’s taking the Department of Justice so long,” said Marcos who is running for vice president in the coming elections.
“There were eyewitness accounts, there were videos and other kinds of evidence so it’s really puzzling why until now we have not heard of any positive development in the Mamasapano case,” Marcos said.
He urged newly appointed acting Justice Secretary Emmanuel Caparas to make the filing of cases his priority.
Vice President Jejomar Binay echoed the sentiments of Marcos, saying a year has passed since the carnage in Mamasapano yet justice remains elusive.
“Despite the many inquiries conducted, we have yet to uncover the truth behind the sequence of events that led to the deaths of these gallant men,” said Binay.
He said the government’s promise to deliver justice remains empty rhetoric.
He also took the Palace to task for citing the benefits given to the families of the fallen commandos.
“To dwell on government’s purported generosity trivializes the deaths of the SAF 44. As families of fallen soldiers they deserve and are entitled to government assistance. It is something they need not beg for, and it is not proper to dispense it as favor that obliges the recipient to be eternally grateful to the authorities. What adds salt to the wounds of their loss is the administration’s failure to extend to them until now additional benefits that were offered, not asked,” Binay said.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said the government’s peace accord with the MILF should not be “another casualty” of the Mamasapano tragedy.
“Our nation is too awash in armed men committed to violence, and that has to end immediately. We have lost enough lives in this tragic event. Let not peace be another casualty,” he said.
“Let us suffer no more dead soldiers and cops, or rebels and civilians caught in the crossfire. Let us have no more widows and orphans, or victims and evacuees.”
Local officials, soldiers and peace advocates will conduct inter-faith prayer on Monday in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao to commemorate the first year anniversary of the tragedy there.
Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the 6th Infantry Division commander, said some relatives of the slain members of SAF would be at the prayer event. With PNA