TACLOBAN CITY , Philippines— The caskets, bearing the remains of six of 44 members of the PNP-Special Action Force killed in Mamasapano, Maguindano, have arrived at the DZR Airport here yesterday
Full honors and ceremonies were held by the Police Regional Office-8, headed by its director, Chief Superintendent Asher Dolina, to welcome the returning heroes.
The six, who hailed from Eastern Visayas, were later brought to the PRO-8 headquarters in Palo, Leyte for necrological services and wake. They will then be transported to their respective hometowns in the region tomorrow.
Sharing the grief of the families of the six heroes, the priests in Eastern Visayas have been offering daily Masses for the eternal repose of the victims. Father Apolinario Abing has been celebrating daily Masses at the PNP Chapel since Tuesday and this will continue for two weeks.
Abing, who holds the police rank of chief inspector, refused to comment on the carnage, but assured the bereaved families and friends of daily prayers for the Fallen 44.
Other priests of the Archdiocese of Palo, like Fr. Isagani Petilos, have also been offering Masses in their respective parishes for the slain heroes.
Petilos, head of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Social Action Commission, said he was deeply saddened by the kind of death suffered by the PNP-SAF men.
Six of them were from Eastern Visayas: Police Officer 2 Noel Nebrida Balaca Jr of Oras, Eastern Samar; PO2 Glenn Bedua of Dulag, Leyte; PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla of Sulat, E. Samar; PO1 Joseph Gumatay Sagonoy of Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar; PO2 Rodel Eva Ramacula of Rosario, N. Samar; and PO1 Mark Lory Orioque Clemencio of Carigara, Leyte.
Clemencio was a former IT professor of STI and of the Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban City before joining the police service.
The municipal government of Carigara, the birthplace of Clemencio, had tentatively set to hold a rite on February 2 to honor its hometown hero.
The remains of Clemencio could not be brought to Carigara today because a bridge in Alang-alang town got blocked by a truck of a softdrinks company. —with reports from Marlon Necito A. Taño (FREEMAN)