President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday afternoon met with the widows and relatives of the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who were killed in the Mamasapano tragedy.
Families of 39 out of the 44 police troopers killed in the ill-fated police operation, together with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, and Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa, attended the dialog in Malacañang.
Prior to this, President Duterte last week revived questions on why there was a lack of coordination and air support from the military amid the Mamasapano clash.
“I don’t want to bring this up but there are still disturbing issues surrounding Mamasapano. I only have one question for all,” President Duterte said.
He wondered why the air assets were not utilized during the tragic encounter on January 25, 2015.
“Sa Awang, sa Davao City, Gen San, bakit hindi tinawag ‘yung air assets?” the President asked.
To recall, the SAF commandos in January 2015 swooped down on a bandit hideout in Mamasapano to neutralize international terrorists Zulkifli Bin-hir alias Marwan and Bassit Usman.
The troops killed Marwan but encountered heavy fire as they were pulling out of the area.
SAF WIDOWS STILL SEEKING JUSTICE
Michelle Candano, widow PO2 Windell Candano, said she still hopes of finally getting justice for the death of her husband and his comrades.
“There is no justice. Tell me, who has been jailed for the carnage? Who has been punished? None,” Candano said, adding that they are still finding it hard to move on because we have yet to obtain justice.”
Candano also said they will ask Duterte to grant a medal of valor to the rest of the slain SAF troopers.
“It is unfair that only two were given based only on the account of witnesses. The operation was wide. It lasted hours. How can a person tell everything and see everyone in action? They all risked their lives, they deserve the Medal of Valor too,” she said in Cebuano.
Candano said she already received the housing assistance from the National Housing Authority, part of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s P300,000 livelihood assistance, scholarship for his son from the National Police Commission, and a piggery from Department of Labor and Employment which was given to the parents of PO2 Candano.
Candano continues to work at the Post Office as one of the assistance given to her by the government.
