SAF spokesman, widow share Espina’s sentiments over ‘overkill’ of troopers

"Bakit nila tinuluyan?"

This was the question of PNP-Special Action Force spokesman Captain Jayson Baldos after finding out some of the 44 police commandos killed in the January 25 police operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao did not initially suffer any lethal wounds, but  were eventually shot to death at close range.

 

During Wednesday's House hearing on the bloody Mamasapano clash, PNP officer-in-charge Director General Leonardo Espina became emotional while explaining the contents of a medico-legal report of the incident, which he described as an overkill of his men during the encounter.

 

Citing the report, he said Inspectors Rennie Tayrus and Ryan Pabalina, two of the slain SAF troopers, did not initially suffer any lethal wounds as they were hit in the foot.

 

He added that 20 other SAF men were shot at close range. “Dalawa pa lang po yan. Twenty others ay binaril nang malapitan, karamihan sa kanila ang tama ay sa ulo.”

 

"We seek for clear answers from the other party of the peace process. Ano ba itong overkill na ito na ginawa niyo sa mga tao ko?" he said.

 

Baldos said he could not blame Espina for being emotional as the report showed the brutality his colleagues faced during the firefight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters combatants, which resulted to the deaths of 44 elite policemen.

 

"The fact na may peace process [with MILF], bakit nila tinuluyan, wala man lang konsiderasyon," he said.

 

He, however, denied to comment when asked if he still supports the implementation of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

 

Meanwhile, Eliza Abirin Esmula, widow of fallen SAF trooper PO2 Amman Misuari, said she also became emotional during the speech of Espina.

 

"Napanuod ko po kanina, naging emosyonal nga po si [Espina], hindi ko kayang i-explain ang nararamdaman ko, masakit," she said.

 

She added that she has lost faith with the MILF, saying that she believes that the implementation of BBL will not stop the MILF from attacking the government.

 

Esmula said, "walang kasiguraduhan ang peace process, wala akong tiwala sa kanila, Muslim rin ako, pero wala na akong tiwala sa kanila."

 

Esmula's husband, 34-year-old Amman was one of the two Muslim men in the Fallen 44. Amman, who is originally from Zamboanga Sibugay, had been active with the PNP since 2006. He graduated from Western Mindanao State University.

 

Earlier, the panel that the House of Representatives created to tackle the proposed BBL decided to suspend its deliberations until members have had a chance to evaluate the results of the various investigations on the tragic anti-terror operation in a Maguindanao town on Jan. 25.

 

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, head of the ad hoc committee, said the hearings will be suspended at 5 p.m. after the panel receives investigation reports on the Mamasapano clash from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.

 

The peace accord signed by the government and MILF last year became the basis for the Bangsamoro bill now pending in Congress. The measure seeks to formalize the creation of a new political entity to replace the ARMM. — RSJ, GMA News