Kin questions oversight of SAF 44 in Aquino’s SONA

President Aquino talks to the families of the slain 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) commandos at Camp Crame. (Photo from Aquino’s official Facebook page)

MANILA – Several family members of the slain Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) commandos were disappointment with the oversight of the troopers’ sacrifices in President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA).

In his two-hour SONA, Aquino mentioned the killing of international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” but did not mention the Moro rebels’ massacre of the PNP-SAF commandos.

Erica Pabalinas, widow of Senior Inspector Ryan Pabalinas, earlier called on Aquino to help them attain justice.  But with the President’s oversight in his speech, Pabalinas was only discouraged.

“I’m just saddened by the fact that there was no mention (of the slain PNP-SAF policemen). He could have thanked those who sacrificed their lives… He just showed that he is just good for his own interest,” she said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.

Merly Gamutan, widow of Inspector Joey Gamutan, did not even both to watch Aquino’s SONA as she did not expect anything good from it.

“I know there was nothing to it… He’s guilty, that’s why he did not mention the SAF 44,” she said in the same report.

Rico Erana, father of slain Senior Inspector John Gary Erana, blamed the President for his loss.

“If not for him, the SAF 44 would still be alive today. It is as if he doesn’t care that it happened. In his SONA, he did not give importance to the lives of those killed just to get Marwan,” he said.

Malacañang, for their part, clarified that Aquino did not intend an oversight of the slain PNP-SAF commandos in his SONA. Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. even cited the President’s earlier statement that he ‘will carry this until the end of my days.’