‘SAF 44’ kin to ex-commander: ‘Be a hero like your men’
Credit to Author: CATHERINE A. MODESTO| Date: Mon, 06 May 2019 10:22:21 +0000
FOUR years after the clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that resulted in the deaths of 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF), the families they left behind are asking the former SAF commander to be a “hero like his men” by turning state witness.
Telly Sumbilla, mother of Police Officer 3 (PO3) John Lloyd Sumbilla appealed to Getulio Napeñas, saying: “Do not be a coward. Have courage. Your men are to be pitied. You know what they did to them. My son’s body was chopped up. Please, have pity on us, mothers. We feel like the SAF 44 was abandoned.”
“Do not hide, come forward,’ she added.
Sumbilla was among the 44 SAF troopers who died in January 25, 2015 in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano during a police operation dubbed Oplan: Exodus to capture Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan, a wanted Malaysian terrorist.
Marwan died in the operation, together with 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and five civilians. The government’s peace efforts in the Southern Philippines hit a major roadblock because of the incident.
Felicitas Nacino, mother of PO2 Nicky Nacino Jr., expressed belief that Napeñas would help them get the justice they deserved.
“Unang–una palang po, tinanong kita bakit di ka nagsalita, ilang hearing na po ang nangyari satin sa Senado. Sagot mo po sa akin, ‘nanay sabi po nila, wag na akong magsalita’” Nacino said.
(From the start, I asked you why you did not say anything. We have gone through so many Senate hearings. Your response to me was “mother, they told me not to speak.)
Nacino said that while she understood that Napeñas was just following orders, the families of the “SAF $$” needed him to tell the truth.
“Kailangan po namin ikaw. Sabihin mo po ang buong katotohanan. Wala parin po kaming nakakamit na hustisya,” Nacino said.
(We need you. Please tell the whole truth. We have not gotten any justice yet.)
“Magsalita ka na (Please speak up), you are our only hope,” said Julie Danao, mother of PO2 Walner Danao.
Families of the “SAF 44,” with the assistance of the Volunteer Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), filed 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide before the Supreme Court against former president Benigno Aquino 3rd, former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and then SAF commanderciting the respondents’ “inexcusable lack of precaution.”
Aquino, Purisima and Napeñas were charged with 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, citing their “inexcusable lack of precaution.”
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