WALK FOR SAF 44 Some 1,000 active and retired police officers who are graduates of the Philippine National Police Academy and some civilians brave the morning sun as they make their way along Edsa on Sunday. The 44-kilometer march from Dasmariñas City in Cavite province to Quezon City was held to honor the “Fallen SAF 44.” LYN RILLON
MANILA, Philippines–“It has been 44 days and each day has not been easier. We wake up daily to the realization that we lost them for good. We wake up to the reality that 44 days since their deaths, we are not closer to knowing the truth.”
Holding back tears and her voice breaking, the young widow of Senior Insp. Ryan Pabalinas repeated an emotional appeal that was first voiced to President Aquino during the nationally televised necrological services for the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos slaughtered in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25.
“Again, I say, Mr. President, please help us gain justice and know the truth. I say again, Mr. President, please serve us justice and truth,” Erica Pabalinas said during a Mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City on Sunday, or six weeks after the bloodbath in Mamasapano that claimed the lives of her husband and his fellow commandos.
“Our cry for justice seems to be slipping from our grasp. We don’t seek to blame anybody, we seek justice. Why is that justice seem so hard to gain?” she said.
The 9 a.m. Mass was the highlight of a 44-kilometer march from Dasmariñas City in Cavite province, organized by the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Alumni Association. It was originally scheduled to be held at Quezon City Memorial Circle, but city authorities withdrew a permit for the event at the last minute.
Authorities in the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Camp Crame likewise turned down requests for permission for a march and a rally on PNP headquarters grounds.
Senior Supt. Jerome Baxinela, the president of the alumni association’s chapter at Camp Crame and one of the organizers of the march, sent a text message to its members before the weekend, dissuading them from attending Sunday’s activity.
“Whoever issued that warning, I ask, what is wrong about grieving? What is wrong about sharing the grief,” Catholic priest Robert Reyes, who celebrated the Mass, said in his homily. He said the group left at past 1 a.m. to re-create the commandos’ situation in Mamasapano: “It was dark. They were scared and vulnerable.”
“Let us not be afraid to be real people, to grieve and be angry when needed. Let us not be afraid to sacrifice our lives like the 44 SAF heroes,” Reyes said.
Pabalinas recalled her husband as a law enforcer who committed himself to the service, delivering justice, upholding the law and helping out those in need.
“That is why it is so hard for us to understand why the justice they unselfishly served and delivered to those who needed it, seems to elude them. They serve for justice, but where is justice for them?” she said in remarks made on behalf of the widows and relatives of the Fallen 44.
The widow’s tearful plea to the President on Jan. 30 has been replayed countless times to introduce talk shows on radio and television dealing with Mamasapano, fueling widespread outrage over the incident that threatened to scuttle peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The SAF commandos were on a mission to take down Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and his Filipino accomplice, Basit Usman. Marwan was reportedly killed but Usman escaped and is now being hunted in a military operation in Maguindanao province. As they withdrew, the troopers were ambushed by forces of the MILF and other rebel groups.
No closer to truth
Pabalinas said waking up each morning was not getting any easier. The days are swiftly passing by and yet she still does not know who killed her husband and his 43 fellow officers in Mamasapano.
With Reyes holding her hand, the widow joined the march from Camp Crame to Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City.
Wearing shirts with the logo of the SAF, the marchers—composed of the PNPA alumni, both active and retired, as well as some civilians—braved the morning sun as they made their way along Edsa.
The 1,000-strong group finished the 4-kilometer walk in less than two hours, arriving at the church for the 9 a.m. Mass.
Gabriela, led by Rep. Luz Ilagan, joined the march from Camp Crame, with women wearing violet shirts to celebrate International Women’s Day, also on Sunday.
Ilagan said Gabriela respected the PNPA alumni’s request not to inject antigovernment sentiments into the protest and that her group was supporting the widows and the other women who lost loved ones in the Mamasapano incident.
The marchers also came across a small group of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) on East Avenue in front of Philippine Heart Center. However, the Bayan contingent—holding placards with antigovernment slogans—did not join the activity but said they supported the participants.
Personal belongings
Pabalinas lamented that up to now, many of the families had not yet recovered the personal belongings of their loved ones.
While admitting that her husband’s job as a law enforcer was full of danger, she said she never imagined that he and his 43 comrades would die in such a tragic and brutal way—some of the wounded shot and killed at close range.
“Forty-four days later, we still don’t know who their killers are…. Forty-four days may have passed, but our hearts are still crying for justice for our brave men,” she said as she tried in vain to hold back her tears.
The families, she said, are eagerly monitoring the developments on the several investigations of the incident—but the waiting has burdened their hearts as the days pass by.
Not 44 months or 44 years
While thankful for the assistance, help and support given by the government and the private sector, the widow said relatives of the SAF 44 were not after blood money but justice and truth.
She expressed optimism that truth and justice would be served soon—“not 44 months, 44 years or forever.”
Similar marches were held on Sunday in Zamboanga City and in Cagayan Valley.
The group of 10 runners and a couple of cyclists were joined by the families of the slain commandos after an almost six-hour run and walk—billed as “Walk with the Widows, Run for Our Heroes”—from Dasmariñas to Camp Crame.
The march pushed through despite the revocation of permits by authorities along the route from Cavite to Camp Crame.
Led by Father Reyes, the group left Central Mall in Dasmariñas at 1:30 a.m.
They did not carry any political placard or streamer, as Reyes had earlier said that the march was not a move to push President Aquino out of office. Some in the group of runners were civilians but many were active members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
In Las Piñas, a handful of activists lined the roadside with placards saying, “We call for truth, justice and accountability.”–
With a report from Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon
If Justice is being seeked, maybe the widows will have to fall in line..there are very many victims of Crimes who are still waiting for Justice..the families of the Maguindanao Massacres are still waiting for Justice...The many who disappeared on both sides of the conflict are still waiting for justice...The many families and widows of many civilian victims caught in the middle of the conflicts are still waiting for Justice...They too are suffering for their lost loved ones..
Ok, so what happen when the painful truth comes out? Charge everyone responsible in court that will surely take decades to resolve just like what's happening to the Ampatuan case? The truth was, why didn't the 300 SAF members sitting nearby by the road eating and relaxing did not come to help the SAF 44 during those hours of encounter? Why Napenas being the commander on the ground didn't order them to join the fight? Why wait for the AFP in those hours of fighting when he had 300 SAF awaiting his order?
My guess is, had the SAF44 cameback unharmed after successfully took down Marwan, Napenas will be bragging to the world that he was able to neutralize one of the most wanted terrorists without the help of the AFP and maybe collect the 6M Marwan bounty to be shared among the operatives including the SAF 44. I don't believe for one minute that the aide of Marwan who gave him up was shot by Marwan himself..B.S..
Sorry ha pero nakaka-uta na rin.
THE TRUTH??...... TANGGAPIN NA LAMANG NINYO ANG NANGYARI SA SAF44... THE TRUTH, HUWAG KAYONG MAGPAGAMIT SA MGA TAONG NAGHAHANGAD NA MAGING PANGULO O LEADER NG PINAS AT PAGKATAPOS AY PAGNANAKAWAN ANG KABAN NG BAYAN.
THE TRUTH, KAHIT BARANGGAY TANOD O TRAFFIC ENFORCER KAPAG NA-DUTY AY KAAMBAL NA ANG KAMATAYAN.
Totoo naman yan, pero kung hindi nasunod ang exit plan, tapos walang tumulong at hakahaka na pinabayaan sila para naman hindi magalit ang milf, dapat lumabas ang katotohanan.
To all Widower of SAF44:
All the Filipinos felt what you feel right now. They are all heroes together with the marines who just died several days ago in Zambo Sur. The combat operation of both incident are planned with our men and women in military and police as best as they can. No field commander in any military history wants any casualty to their men. But to enlist to any branch of military/police they understand that what they were going in is."TO KILl AND BE KILLED". Its a big tragedy every time somebody died, but to die for our country is much more tragic. No matter what happened, what they said, what was not done and what was done, they still died a hero to all Filipinos and you should all be proud of it. Groups are twisting all your mind because of politics to make you all hate our government. Bishops/Priest talking to you to blame our government why they died. They talked to you why they died because they did not this,that etc,etc. Do not let this group use you who blames the government for everything and wants the government to fail.
and the best way to honor our SAF 44 is to unite for the country. we are facing a lot of problems and I am sure our heroes want the best future for their children and grandchildren. HUWAG PO TAYO MAGPAGAMIT SA MGA NANGGUGULO!
SUPPORT OUR GOVERNMENT!
Gusto lang nitong babaing ito marami pang pera. For goodness sakes bakit mo pinagpulis yung asawa mo? Anong justice ang kailangan mo, MILF ang pumatay sa mga pulis may misyon sila get mo. OA na itong mga pamilya ng SAF ginagamit ;na ito ng mga kalaban ni Pnoy kasama na ang kuno kaibigan niyang magnanakaw si Binay. Gustong gusto na ni Binay bumaba si Aquino para maayos na niya ang pandadaya nitya sa susunod na election.
The BBL is not really a peace agreement. The BBL is a power-sharing, wealth-sharing, and territory-sharing agreement with foreign state sponsors of terrorism. The MILF and other breakaway armed groups are manufactured terrorist groups that are sowing chaos and instability to scare and pressure the government into making a peace agreement with the MILF and passing the BBL, which will lead to the creation of an independent state or de facto state that will be the base of operations for more terrorist activity and destabilization.
Aquino's stand down order to the AFP soldiers raring to assist the pinned down SAF commandos was the ultimate cause of their death. This was a highest form of betrayal and PDI, being a Yellow broadsheet, should reconsider its stance of propping up this immoral and treasonous regime. This is to hasten effective change to our battered society.
Bakit may direct line of command ba si Pnoy sa mga SAF??
ha!ha!ha!ha! Lakas tama mo teng! Anong tinira mo? Katol?
"tsu pain" .. hindi ka na naman makakatulog? aga ng gising mo tita. for sure hindi ka na naman naka score kagabi. lanta na si manoy.
looks like the so called 'truth' is already known by the widows, and their catholic clergy puppeteers. the rest of us are just too stupid not to be all-knowing.
Yes. I also know the truth that you are an "Abn0y paid hack and blogger". You are also a "low-life scum".
It seems like the SAF 44 were betrayed by their own commander Napenas and higher authorities without a doubt. Its mindboggling why they cannot send in the fast movers like MG 520 attack helo s to provide the needed air support during those crucual hrs .
Did Pnoy have other plans or the AFP wanted to scrap/ scuttle the BLL so the war will continue? War means money alloted to the military and money for the commanders.
Is the Philippines a country of 100 million cowards ruled by one STUPID and INCOMPETENT SON OF A BlTCH?
Are you not that one of the 100 million cowards or are you that pest-meddling foreign intruder?
.LOL.
Try mong magdasal, so-called maximus, para magkaroon ka ng peace. Hindi naman lahat sa mundo masama. Humingi ka ng kapayapaan sa Maykapal. Hindi magtatagal ang buhay mo kung palagi kang galit, lahat mali, ikaw lang ang tama. Tsaka nga pala, gamitin mo ang tunay mong pangalan. Mas maingat ka kasi sa pananalita mo kung accountable ka.
I sympathized with the grieving widow that justice should prevail. Up to this time those who are accountable especially the Presidents BFF Purisima, he is still with the PNP as its only four star general. He continue to receive his salaries and could not be replaced as Chief PNP because it is only accorded to a general with his stars.
Sorry to say that maraming fans nang current president criticized the widows especially the young widow of Senior Insp. Ryan Pabalinas na mukha siyang pera dahil she complains too much dahil alam niya na kaakabay nang asawa nito ang kamatayan being a soldier.
Shame on you guys, the widows have all the rights to seek justice. Obey first before you complain. The complainants, the SAF 44 are now dead and its their wives and relatives who carry the rights to seek justice.
Tiyak marami sa inyo ang natuwa na inabswelto ni PNoy at Trillanes si Purisima who planned and lead the Mamapasano covert operation kahit suspendido ito. The SAF hit its target but nang sila na ang tinatarget nang kalaban ay iniwanan na sila sa ere dahil BFF na daw ni PNoy ang mga taga MILF. Puro palusot lang nang AFP na tumulong daw sila sa SAF nang masukol ito.
Recently, may drama pang ginawa si Catapang nang atakihin nito ang BIFF at lilipolin daw ito. Parang tama ang sinabi ni Mama nang BIFF, umiinom lang daw sila nang kape at naghihintay sa mga sundalo but wala naman yata. Ah nawawala yata sa landas ang mga sundalo natin.
Olol!!! Gunggong! Galonggong!!! Magtanim ka na langkamote, may pakinabang ka pa!
Junk BBL because its unconstitutional. If they want progress, government should give them funds for agriculture, infrastructure, health and education and not a territory with their own armed forces and their own government.
Read Mr Ramon Farolan:s column re: the Mogadishu incident on this newspaper. The widows of the slain soldiers NEVER complained because they know that getting killed is the biggest risk on being a military man,.
Ramon Farolan is a paid Malacanang journalist and so are you as a paid malacanang blogger.
do u realy think there are pd bloggers here like u?
But being lied to by their Commander in Chief is extremely unconventional
"..know the truth". the problem is, she already had the answer no matter what. what if the answer from grace poe's committee doesn't go her way, will she accept it (all the way to the bank)?
Common noytard. BIstado ka na as a paid Malacanang blogger. Meron ka pa "..know the truth" ka ek ekan mo. You are nothing but just a low-life Abn0y BAYARAN. Bistado ka na ng marami na nagbabasa ng Inquirer On-line.
paid? why you MORON, find another line, kumita na yan. I made more money that most IDYOTS (like you, $ pa) attacking Pnoy.
Pag nagbigay ng opinion na saliwa sa opinion mo bayaran na kaagad? Ok ka lang ate, baka pakawala ka ng laban sa Presidente.
The truth is Napenas an his valiant 300 failed your husband.
sino nag utos kay Napenas? At kung si Purisima na suspendido? Sino nag authorize kay Purisima na makisawsaw? Baka si Ikbal nag utos sa mga ito? hahahaha common sense lang kap. Kahit grade 1 alam yan kung sino.
It is starting to feel like "Mo money, mo money".
Yes indeed. More money for you as a paid Malacanang blogger.
kasalanan ni gloria . . .
Well it is. President Erap had planted the Philippine flag at Camp Abubakar and was within weeks or maybe months of wiping out the MILF when she STOLE the presidency, ended the total war, suspended the death penalty, eventually revoking it, all to please the Catholic church.
Di mo na get ang comment ni concerned. It is the Mamapasano debacle, kalasanan ito ni Gloria. Its sarcasm and as if PNoy is pointing his finger on her and saying "Ala akong alam diyan, si Gloria ang may kasalanan, di ba BFF Puri?"..he he he.
.
But of course,
THE FARTHER WE ARE FROM THE TRUTH...
-the less our president gets into trouble.
-the easier it becomes for Pnoy to blame others and even past administrations
-the less the public will know how 44 SAF men were betrayed over an unconstitutional agreement w/c directly benefits their killers -the MILF
-the less it becomes obvious to the public that Malacanang's "peace partners" (MILF) actually coddles terrorists and is hell bent on protecting them
-the easier it is for Pnoy's minions to pass the unconstitutional BBL
-the better prospect it will be for the president's bets for 2016 elections
-the easier it is for Deles and Ferrer to give away Philippine sovereignty over to the Malaysians
-the harder it is for the Filipinos to reclaim back Sabah
-the closer it is for the MILF to get their hands on that 70B funding from the govt w/c will make it easier for them to build more weapons factories and funds to recruit more impoverished ignorant men
-the closer the MILF can get a state of their own
-the closer it is for Pnoy to finally get that "Nobel Peace Prize"
"-the less the public will know how 44 SAF men were betrayed over an
unconstitutional agreement w/c directly benefits their killers -the MILF."
You hit the nail brother, PNoy and his minions knows this. Sad to say, many of our fellowmen will never see the light on the death of SAF 44 that they were feed to the dogs by their commander in chief and his suspended PNP chief. PNoy know that its illegal to designate his BFF Purisima to the mission dahil di ito accountable dahil suspendido.
Noy cannot be held accountable to the debacle dahil may immunity siya being the president of the republic but his four star general still enjoys all the perks despite resigning sa PNP chief at di sita masipa ni Noy dahil mag BFF nga sila at head si Purisima nang mason.
Dahil sa proposed BBL, the MILF is immune to suit even if it is coddling terrorist. They have a report on Mamapasano debacle but refuses to bare its content. This implies that they have no report at all but palusot lamang.
Fight with MILF even if they kill hundreds of our soldiers and citizen. The MI's will be untouchables because they can rely on their friend PNoy to lawyer for them. BBL still being proposed and could be declared unconstitutional by the SC is proven to be a disaster to the peace in Mindanao. Coddling terrorist defies sincerity of the MI's to bring peace at para naluluto ang gobyerno sa sariling mantika.
The relatives cry for justice and accountabilities becoming more like silent cries in the wilderness as the search for the truth continues. Then again, it will be in vain with no less than the head of state and his henchmen apparently at fault with the death of the saf44. It won't even get easier since the murderers are part of the rebels and/or its offspring group whom the govt want to reconcile with. Calls for PNoy resignation have become softer even as public sympathies for the fallen heroes have obviously waned. These are just too familiar scenes of a national issue from a hot topic that everyone want to soak themselves in, to another one of those unresolve cases that no one will eventually care about. That's how the wheel turns here in the Philippines. Acceptance of the way it is and not the way it will be is the first step towards moving on for the orphaned families of the fallen heroes.
He who lives by the sword die by the sword. It is a price to pay. Lets put the matter behind us, pick up the pieces and move on. Ain't no use in looking back and keeping the wound fresh. Fcuck the widows....they just want more moey from the government.
Fuuuck you too. Matigok ka sana pati ang pamilya mo.
Napaka walanghiya ng isang eto. Napaka ITIM ng budhi. Halang ang kaluluwa ng HAYUP nato.
Magkano ba bayad sayo ng malacanang? Ok lang ba sayo na yung pinapakain mo sa pamilya mo ay gallng sa pagsuko mo ng prinsipyo mo at at pag pagamit sa katulad ng traydor at walanghiya na si Abn0y?
Yup. Isa kang tumpak na UL0L.
you are pathetic, Tsong.
SAF 44 were sent to carry out "mission impossible" and were promised support. but in the middle of the firefight they were abandoned.
the way you write, you never handled a gun and had an eyeball firefight against the enemy....hahaha
Uunahan nyo pa ba ang AMPATUAN MASSACRE 5 years na wala paring Justice kahit nakakulong na ang suspect?!?
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