SAF 44 kin: Give us justice

MANILA, Philippines - The mood was mournful, but anger was also palpable as relatives of 44 slain police Special Action Force (SAF) members were consoled yesterday by President Aquino.

“To our President, we seek your help to attain justice,” a tearful Erica Pabalinas said, reading a prepared speech. “Please help us.”

Erica is the widow of Senior Inspector Ryan Pabalinas, the highest official killed in the battle in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Sunday.

Erica, who represented the families of the slain policemen, looked directly at Aquino as she read her speech. The President was seated a few feet away.

The President, who received flak for his absence when 42 of the 44 fatalities arrived in caskets the other day at Villamor Air Base, personally handed a medal of valor to widows, mothers or siblings of the dead. But some of the bereaved showed displeasure.

A woman carrying a toddler as she sat beside a coffin ignored Aquino as he handed her the medal of valor. Aquino then placed the medal on top of the casket.

Young children wailed as they peered into the flag-draped caskets of their fathers.

Hero’s death

Erica, who struggled to contain her tears, encouraged her fellow widows to stay strong, particularly for the children.

“Slowly, I accept that my husband can’t be with us anymore, consoling myself that he died a hero. It is painful, though. All I ask right now is justice. Not only for my husband who was brutally killed but for everyone who fought and fell,” she said.

Erica said she does not know whether to feel sad or proud that her husband “fought to his last breath, not only for peace in Mindanao but for the entire nation. My husband gave his life to claim peace.”

She said that the night before Sunday’s battle, she and their daughter urged her husband to stay home, but he insisted on reporting for duty.

Erica said her husband and his men pursued the operation to capture Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, not for the $5-million bounty on the terrorist’s head.

“Let us not put into our minds that my husband and his men pursued the

operation because of the tag price on top of the heads of the lawless

elements. Because if just for that, we could have been richer,” she

said.

Like an animal

Virgie Viernes shook her head as she said while her husband, Police Officer 1 Oliebeth Viernes, died a hero, nothing could replace him as the father of their two children. Cash donations from politicians offer cold comfort.

What makes her husband’s death difficult to accept is that his body was treated as if he were an animal.

“His head had exploded, his body was not even cleaned up. We thought that when his body arrived in Manila, it would be fixed, but it was not. It smelled and his blood was nearly dry. He was treated like a pig,” she said.

Police Officer 3 Junrel Kibete’s three daughters hugged each other as they wept, repeatedly calling out, “Papa.” The girls refused to talk or listen to anyone, especially the middle child, Junel, who kept repeating, “I want my papa. Papa.”

Roharmina Asjali cried silently as she touched the portrait of her son, Police Officer 3 Jed-in Asjali. She talked to the framed photo as she waited for her turn to receive her son’s medal.

“I told him I was sorry because I was crying. He never wanted me to cry. Pulling a sour face was a no-no with him,” she said. “Justice, may they be given justice.”

Shattered dreams

Miya Mejia, widow of Police Officer 2 Ephraim Mejia, said their dreams were shattered by her husband’s death. She wants whoever gave the green light for the operation to answer for the SAF troopers’ deaths.

She said she is holding on to prayers as she and their two-year-old daughter July face an uncertain future – her husband was the family’s sole breadwinner. – With Eva Visperas