Archdiocese to host prayer for SAF 44

CEBU, Philippines - Local Catholic Church will hold a gathering next month in time for the 40 days of the fallen commandos of the Special Action Force who died during an encounter with the Moro rebels in Maguindanao.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said the ordained and the faithful will get together on March 6 to pray for the eternal repose of the 44 elite police troopers.

“On the 40 days, we will gather for the SAF troopers. We have already expressed our sympathies to the family. The circumstances that they were in that led to their death were to be frowned upon and we sympathize to the families,” said Palma.

The prelate reiterated that an all-out war as a form of revenge is not the answer to the violent death experienced by the members of the police force who were deployed to arrest international terrorist Sulkifli BinHir alias Marwan and Basit Usman.

“We pray that the peace process be continued. Afterall, we are a people who are after peace. All-out war? No, that’s not Christian,” Palma said.

Two Cebuanos were among the 44 commandos killed in action in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25 when they encountered the combined fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and its breakaway group Bangsamoro Independent Freedom Fighters.

The police also killed Marwan during the operation but Usman was able to escape. — (FREEMAN)