$5-M bounty not for SAF families

MANILA, Philippines - The families of police commandos slain in fighting following the capture and death of Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, cannot get the $5-million bounty that the US government had offered for information leading to the Malaysian terrorist bomb maker.

In an e-mail to The STAR, US embassy assistant information officer Anna Richey said officers and employees of a foreign government are generally not eligible for the Rewards for Justice.

However, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano believe the reward must be given to the widows and families of the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos slain in fighting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao following the killing of Marwan.

In an interview on the sidelines of the 114th   founding anniversary of the Manila police, the former president said the $5-million bounty should be equally divided among the widows and families of the fallen SAF 44.

“They are pitiful,” he said. “For me, they deserve the financial assistance.”

Estrada was reacting to reports that two MILF members would get the reward for leading the commandos to the house of Marwan in Mamasapano.

In Davao City MILF  vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar dared people disseminating information that two of their men will get the $5-million bounty for leading the commandos to Marwan to come out and name names.

Colmenares said the Philippine government or police officials should not benefit from the reward because they are the reason for the botched operation. Cayetano said the government must find a way to give the reward to the families of the SAF 44.

“I am of the belief that those who were part of the operation, the families of the 44 heroes and those who were wounded, they should get the reward,” he said.

Cayetano said he was convinced that the families of the slain commandos were not interested in the reward after talking with some of them.

“In fact, only once was the reward mentioned, a parent who was crying told me, ‘sir, even if there is a reward, we don’t want it’… What we are looking for is justice.’” 

Cayetano said Congress can pass a joint resolution for the families to get the reward since it will come from international sources.

“Because someone will get that sooner or later,” he said. “Who will end up with it?” 

Before the celebration started at the Manila police headquarters, Estrada offered a wreath in honor for the fallen SAF 44 in front of the main gate at United Nations Avenue in Manila.

He also led a silent prayer for the slain commandos before allowing the Manila police to start the celebration.

 Estrada said he has issued a permit to the families, widows, relatives and supporters of the fallen SAF 44 to hold a rally at Liwasang Bonifacio today.

“I don’t have any order to the police, except to just make sure that it is a peaceful rally,” he said. “We cannot stop them. It is their right to freedom of speech. As long as it is peaceful, we will allow it.”  

Almost a thousand netizens have asked President Barack Obama and the US government to give the $5-million bounty for the death of Marwan to the families of the 44 SAF commandos slain in the encounter  in Mamasapano and the 11 others injured.

In a signed petition on Change.org petition (http://chn.ge/1EKLG4t), the netizens begged Obama and the US government not to give the reward to the Philippine government.

“Though the money will never be enough to compensate for the loss of  lives, these heroes deserve every single cent of that reward,” read the petition.

Lei Asuque-Talvo started the petition.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that the man killed during the operation in Mamasapano on Jan. 25 was Marwan.

“The results support the biological sample given by Filipino authorities came from Marwan,” said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s field office in Los Angeles, California.

Trooper laid to rest

Police Officer 2 Nicky Nacino Jr. was laid to rest Thursday, leaving behind an uncertain future for his family orphaned by its sole breadwinner amid an outpouring of grief and sympathy, with his forlorn father letting out a mouthful directed at Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for failing to show up at the wake in Aurora province.

Nacino was interred at the barangay cemetery in Ditumabo, complete with a 21-gun salute befitting a hero and outpouring of grief from relatives, friends, fraternity brothers and town mates here where he grew up.

Nacino’s father and namesake Nicky Sr. expressed hope that President Aquino would fulfill his promise to help them during a closed-door meeting where he was presented an award for his fallen son.

The patriarch said unlike the family of one of the victims who snubbed the award handed by the President, he said he received it because it was proof that his son died a hero.

Nicky Sr. also criticized Roxas for failing to visit his son here. “You have time to visit the others. Why didn’t you visit my son?” he lamented.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan, led by Vice Gov. Rommel Angara also handed to Nacino’s widow Roselle a resolution honoring the slain lawman for bravery.

Nacino, nicknamed Dondon, was one of 44 slain SAF members. He was one of three fallen troopers from Central Luzon. The others were PO3 John Lloyd Rebamonte Sumbilla of Bataan and PO2 Junrel Narvas Kibete of Bulacan.

The slain lawman, the eldest in a brood of six, has been financing the studies of his siblings – Geraldine, a criminology student at the University of Baguio and Ricky Boy, a finance management student at St. Louis University.

Stress debriefing

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started giving out critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) for the families of the 44 Philippine National Police SAF troops who were slain in Mamasapano.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman told The STAR in a text message that a number of families has started the debriefing sessions, while some had asked for a deferment to mourn their dead first.– With Jose Rodel Clapano, Rainier Allan Ronda, Marvin Sy, Janvic Mateo, Edith Regalado, Manny Galvez