Duterte's revelations on Mamasapano clash reignite anger of SAF 44 kin

The families of the 44 fallen police commandos in the Mamasapano clash two years ago felt anger all over again after President Rodrigo Duterte's comments on Tuesday.

“'Yung mga revelations po ni Pangulong Duterte kahapon, 'yun 'yung matinding nakapagpabuhay muli ng matinding galit namin sa nakaraang administrasyon,” Rachel Sumbilla said Wednesday in an interview on Balitanghali.

Sumbilla is the widow of PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla, who was among the 44 Special Action Force commandos killed in January 24, 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao while in pursuit of terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

In his speech during his dialogue with the families of the SAF 44, Duterte claimed the Mamasapano clash was an operation of the Central Intelligence Agency of the US government.

Duterte also criticized his predecessor, former President Benigno Aquino III, whom he said relied too much on former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima.

The President also claimed that former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles stopped Aquino from ordering the military's air assets to support the beleaguered police commandos. 

Sumbilla said she will most remember the portion of Duterte’s speech where he vowed to give justice to the SAF 44 by forming a fact-finding commission which will reopen the probe of the SAF operation. 

“Ang pinakatumatak sa akin (ay) 'yung mabibigyan niya ng hustisya 'yung pagkakamatay ng SAF 44 at dinetalye niya doon kung paano niya bibigyan ng justice. 'Yun nga 'yung magtatalaga siya ng independent body para mag-asikaso ng kaso,” Sumbilla said.

Sumbilla added the kin of the SAF 44 have yet to fully move on from the incident and have yet to fully receive the benefits promised by the Aquino administration.

“Patuloy pa rin kami nagmu-move on sa nangyari dahil alam naman po natin na wala pa ring hustisyang nakakamit ngayong second year death anniversary. Patungkol naman dun sa mga benepisyo na sinasabing napagkaloob na ng nakaraang gobyerno, may mga bagay na nakuha na, meron din namang hindi pa,” she said.

Sumbilla added they will continue to press the government until they reach closure on the death of the SAF 44.

“Patuloy po naming ipa-follow up. Hindi kami titigil na humingi ng tulong sa Pangulo na tuluy-tuloy na po para mabigyan na ng closure 'yung kaso na 'to at managot na dapat 'yung mga taong sangkot sa pagkamatay nila,” Sumbilla said.

After two years, Sumbilla said she became used to not receiving phone calls from her late husband. She instead focuses on her job and their children.

“Kumbaga nalampasan ko 'yun, 'yung wala na kong hinihintay na tawag at makausap sa mga bagay-bagay na dapat pag-usapan. At siyempre focus ko ngayon 'yung trabaho ko saka 'yung mga anak ko,” she said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KG/JST, GMA News