PNP: P70M lump sum, pension already given to SAF 44 beneficiaries  

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said P70 million worth of lump sum and pension has already been given to the families and beneficiaries of the 44 Special Action Force troopers killed in the infamous Mamasapano clash.

Citing information from the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management, the PNP said P70,583,520.58 has been given to the beneficiaries of the slain police officers, collectively known as SAF 44, as of January 16, 2016.

This can be broken down into:

- P7,682,433.00 from Special Financial Assistance under RA 6963;

- P9,623,932.27 from Commutation of Accumulated Leave (CAL);

- P526,801.90 from Monthly Pension; and

- P1,146,762.62 from Back Earned Pension

Additionally, P14,467,155-worth of burial and gratuity expenses, P490,193.80 for monthly pension for married beneficiaries, and P1,108,448.57 for back-earned pension were also released by the National Police Commission.

The office of the President also gave P11,000,000, divided to all families who each received P250,000, while the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, Inc. donated a total amount of P24,537,793.42 also for the beneficiaries of the slain policemen.

The families also received a total amount of P26,875,000.00 coming from the Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives, other local government units and PNP Special Assistance Fund.

Moreover, the Government Service Insurance System gave Funeral Benefit to each family amounting to P20,000.00, while the San Miguel Foundation, Inc. sponsored the Insurance Plan and Healthcare Card for the SAF44 beneficiaries.

The Department of Justice's Board of Claims also gave each family an amount of P10,000.00.

The 44 were among the over 60 people killed when a covert police operation to arrest a suspected Malaysian terrorist  in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25, 2015 resulted in a clash with Moro rebels.

Awards, recognition

Aside from monetary donations, recognition and awards were also given to some members of the SAF 44, including a recommendation for the Medal of Valor for PSI Gednat G. Tabdi and PO2 Romeo C. Cempron.

"All the SAF 44 were posthumously promoted, 42 of them were given Medalya ng Kabayanihan (PNP Distinguished Conduct Medal)... PSUPT Train was granted Medalya ng Kabayanihan. Also, all the 15 wounded were conferred with Medalya ng Sugatang Magiting (PNP Wounded Personnel Medal)," the PNP said.

Twenty-nine of the 30 survivors were granted special promotion and were given the Medalya ng Kabayanihan, but only 25 availed of the said promotion while the remaining four opted for a regular promotion.

Education, housing

On education assistance, 46 dependent children of the 28 SAF troopers were given scholarship grants amounting to P10,000 for kindergarten per school year, P18,000 for elementary education per school year, P24,000 for secondary education per school year, P18,000 for vocational per semester, and P30,000 for college per semester.

The PNP and the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies also agreed to give out 44 scholarship certificates to the SAF44 families, which will provide one college scholarship grant equivalent to 100 percent tuition fee discount to each family.

Moreover, 32 units of housing have already been completed, in coordination with the National Housing Authority, while 24 are still under ongoing construction as of January 8, 2016. —Bianca Rose Dabu/KBK, GMA News