House raises P5.3M for families of SAF 44

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the House of Representatives and its personnel have raised a total of P5.3 million in financial assistance for the families of the Special Action Force (SAF) 44 troopers killed during the Mamasapano operations last January 25.  

 

The donations will also go to the 15 SAF survivors and 15 soldiers wounded during the clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters.

 

The fund drive was done after lawmakers adopted resolution, providing  that the House extends financial assistance to the families of policemen who were killed in the line of duty.

 

The assistance will be funded by the voluntary contributions pledged by House members via one-time donation of P10,000 to be deducted from the lawmaker’s monthly salary according to the resolution. Many lawmakers, however, individually donated more than P10,000.

 

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte held a symbolic turnover of the donation at the session hall to officers of the Philippine National Police, including Police Director for Comptrollership Rolando Purugganan and Budget Division Chief Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Luis Licup.

 

"We thank our colleagues, the House secretariat, staff and employees who voluntarily raised this amount," Belmonte said.

 

Of the amount, P4.889 million came from 285 House members; P100,000 from Party List Coalition Foundation, Inc.; P225,800 from Secretariat officials and employees; P65,100 from congressional staff; and P20,100 from contractual employees.

 

The Speaker and boxing icon Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao each donated P500,000, while Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez gave P200,000, Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza shelled out P150,000 and Reps. Enrique Cojuangco (1st District, Tarlac) and Douglas Hagedorn (3rd District, Palawan) gave P100,000 each.

 

The Speaker said the donation will be deposited directly to the bank accounts of each of the 44 beneficiaries of the SAF troopers, 15 wounded soldiers and 15 SAF survivors.

 

He said that each of the SAF beneficiaries will get P100,000, while each of the 15 wounded soldiers will get P40,000 and each of the 15 SAF survivors will get P20,000.