Aquino spends whole day, night with SAF kin

MANILA, Philippines — President Benigno Aquino III spent the entire Friday until past midnight condoling with families of slain police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos.

After having spent 14 hours in the venue, Aquino left Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig around 12:20 a.m. after he met with families of each of the 44 elite policemen killed Sunday in a counter-terrorism operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The move followed criticisms of his absence in the ceremony for the arrival of the remains of the 44 fallen Special Action Force men at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Thursday, when Aquino pushed through with his scheduled audience at a car manufacturing firm's plant.

After his private conference with the bereaved kin, Aquino addressed officials of the SAF before he left the camp.

The 44 SAF commandos were killed in a gun battle as with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, sparking public outrage and expressions of opposition against the peace deal between Moro rebels and the government.