Medals of valor to give value to SAF-44’s martyrdom —Bato dela Rosa

The medals of valor that will soon be given to the 42 other Special Action Force commandos who died in Mamasapano over two years ago will formally give value to their martyrdom, PNP chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa said on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this week approved recommendation for the conferment of Medals of Valor-Posthumous or Medalya ng Kagitingan on the 42 other members of the SAF that figured in Mamasapano.

Two of the SAF 44 were already awarded the medals during the Aquino administration.

"We are very happy. We are very happy na makakatanggap na sila ng award na they truly deserve. We are very happy. Para naman mabigyan ng saysay yung kanilang pagkamatay," Dela Rosa told reporters.

"We are ready to give them, hinihintay lang namin matanggap yung order galing sa Malacanang," he added.

Dela Rosa said the 42 troopers deserved to be given the highest honor in the police service.

"Hindi naman sila namatay na tumatakbo sa laban, namatay sila doon dahil lumaban nang husto, naubusan ng bala, at pinagpapapatay. So meron pa bang ibang requirement na kailangan pang gawin nila bago sila mabigyan ng medal of valor," Dela Rosa said.

He said the SAF troopers sacrificed much for the country when they joined the operation against Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.

Marwan, who was killed in the Mamasapano raid, was one of the most wanted terrorists and bomb makers in Southeast Asia with a $5 million reward in the Rewards for Justice Program of the US Department of State and P7.4 Million in the DND-DILG Joint Order Number 15-2012.

"So I think they made everything already. They qualify for that and they made extreme sacrifice," Dela Rosa said.

"Hindi lang naman sila nagpakamatay doon na walang saysay kundi lumaban sila nang husto, naubusan sila ng bala and they fought valiantly and I'm very proud of them," he added.

Dela Rosa was part of the Board of Inquiry that investigated the ill-fated Mamasapano operation.

Even with Marwan's death, the Mamasapano raid was considered a botched operation because more than 60 persons, including 44 SAF commandos, were killed due to alleged lapses in coordinating with the military and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the area.

The government and the MILF had signed the peace agreement only months before the incident happened.

Members of the MILF figured in the ambush that killed the 44 commandos.

The PNP Medal of Valor-Posthumous were awarded last year to Chief Insp. Gednat G. Tabdi, the team leader of Team 1 of the Main Effort 1, 84th Special Action Company, and PO2 Romeo C. Cempron, the lead gunner of the Main Effort 2, 55th Special Action Company.

Under Republic Act No. 9049, An Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of Medal of Valor, Medal of Valor awardees are entitled to a lifetime monthly pension of P20,000 with several incentives and special privileges. —NB, GMA News