AFP asks soldiers to donate P30 to SAF 44

MANILA, Philippines - Soldiers have been asked to donate P30 from their subsistence allowance to the families of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers who died in the Mamasapano clash last January 25.

Armed Forces spokesman Col. Restituto Padilla clarified that the financial assistance to the families of the fallen police commandos is voluntary.

“The voluntary contribution is a form of help to our brothers in arms. We have done this previously. It is a contribution that we make out of our personal volition as a form of help and assistance to the bereaved families,” Padilla said in a press briefing yesterday.

“The appeal came from the general headquarters as instructed by the Chief of Staff. It was extended to all servicemen as well as those in the Department of National Defense if they also want to contribute,” he added.

Each soldier receives P150 daily worth of subsistence allowance daily. There are about 125,000 members of the armed forces.

The military is conducting the fund drive even if it has been accused of failing to provide timely support to SAF troopers who clashed with the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

Military officials denied this and claimed that the responding soldiers were not given enough information about the whereabouts of the beleaguered police commandos.

When asked whether he finds it ironic that the military is raising funds for policemen whose deaths are being blamed on them, Padilla said: “The armed forces has aired its point regarding that issue and I think we put that behind our back."

“The PNP (Philippine National Police) and the armed forces are working very closely together. We have been very successful and as we have mentioned, after all these, life goes on,” he added.

Proceeds of the fund raising drive will be turned over to the families of the slain SAF members within the month.

Padilla said soldiers had also contributed part of their subsistence allowance to typhoon victims and families of Army troopers who died during the Al Barka clash in 2011.

The slain police commandos were deployed to Mamasapano to capture wanted terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman.

The operation resulted in the death of Marwan but also sparked a fierce encounter that claimed the lives of 44 SAF members. It also spawned finger pointing among security officials that threatened to put a strain on the relationship between the police and the military. – Alexis Romero with Keith Calayag