PNP to review roles of 42 SAF men in Mamasapano clash

The spokesman for the Philippine National Police said Wednesday they don’t want to give false hopes to the families of the 42 Special Action Force commandos killed during the Mamasapano clash two years ago and who have yet to be given the Medal of Valor award.

At a news conference, Senior Supt. Dionardo Carlos said that they will thoroughly look into the 42 commandos’ role in the operation.

“We don’t want to give false hope but we will comply with the order of the commander-in-chief,” Carlos said.

“We’re not saying that it’s going to be different, we’re going to do a review. Let’s wait for the result of the review based on existing policies and procedure at  ‘yung magiging result isu-submit ‘yan sa approving authority,” he added.

On Tuesday, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa and Interior Undersecretary Catalino Cuy to review if the 42 other SAF commandos killed during the ill-fated Mamasapano operations can be awarded with the Medal of Valor. 

Earlier, two of the 44 slain SAF members were accorded with the Medal of Valor, the highest award in the uniformed services – Senior Inspector Gednat Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron. 

Tabdi was the leader of Team 1 of the 84th Special Action Company. Even when he was already wounded, Tabdi still led his team to accomplish its mission.

Cempron, on the other hand, was the lead gunner of the main effort of the 55th Special Action Company. When his fellow commandos were already dying, he sacrificed himself as a human shield in order for survivor PO2 Christopher Lalan to move to safety.

Carlos said the Special Promotion, Awards, and Decorations Board under the Directorate for Personnel and Resource Management is the one conducting the review and determining the qualification of the SAF.

He said the President’s order will not put additional pressure on the review board.  

“The board that will make the review, definitely iba ang composition. Ngayon maiiba yan…From the statement of the President i-review kung nasunod ang policy and procedure, then we’ll come up with the findings and we’ll present it to the President before the end of the month,” he said. 

Carlos said the board will review the role of the troopers and if they are indeed qualified to receive the award.

“Hindi pare-pareho ‘yung kanilang naging aksyon but of course the end result was they sacrificed their lives for this mission. Kami po kocomply kami doon para mapag-aralan ‘yung proseso ng,mga requirements at kung kwalipikado yung 42 pang SAF troopers, then, why not give it to them,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News