Palace exec says aid to SAF44 families is 85% accomplished

On the morning of January 29, 2015, the remains of the members of the PNP Special Action Force slain in Mamasapano arrived at the Villamor Air Base. The fallen PNP SAF were accorded arrival honors, led by the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas, PNP Deputy Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina, and AFP Chief of Staff Gen.

Gregorio Catapang. (Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office)

MANILA—The government’s support to families of the SAF44 continues and to date has an 85 percent completion rate, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said Monday.

In an interview after the meeting between President Benigno Aquino III and families of the 44 members of the police’s Special Action Force (SAF) who died during a mis-encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in January 2015, Coloma said the Chief Executive were told that some of the requests of the families have not been given.

Thus, the President directed the concerned agencies to submit a progress report within a week to make sure that all the request will be given.

Coloma did not give specifics on what support has not been given but stressed that the President wants to address all the requests since even as most of the SAF 44 members are young they are the breadwinners of their families.

The meeting between the President and the families of SAF44 members was held at Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame and was made after the commemoration of the SAF44’s heroism.

Coloma said the mood during the meeting was light and there were even some children who were playing at the back of the room while the meeting was on-going.

“Makikita naman natin na sila ay dumalo sa kanilang boluntaryong pagnanasa at nandyan naman yung kanilang mga pamilya at magandang pagkakataon ito para kilalanin yung kabayahnihan ng mga SAF troopers,” (It can be noted that they attended the meeting willingly and that they are with their families. It was a good chance to commemorate the heroism of SAF troopers),” he added.