Head of Army unit that extricated SAF 44 gets award

MANILA, Philippines - The leader of the Army platoon that extricated the dead and wounded police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25 was awarded the third highest military honor yesterday amid allegations that Army assistance came too late.

Jeymark Mateo, a second lieutenant in the 61st Division Reconnaissance Company, received the Gold Cross Medal during the celebration of the Army’s 118th anniversary at Fort Bonifacio.

Mateo, a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s class 2013, was cited for reinforcing the 84th police Special Action Company (SAC) that was pinned down by Muslim rebels in Mamasapano.

Mateo’s platoon was credited for the successful retrieval of eight dead, 11 wounded and 18 unharmed members of the Special Action Force (SAF).

The conferment of award came amid persistent notions that the military had failed to provide timely assistance to the SAF troopers surrounded by forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and private armed groups.

Mateo, however, parried the criticisms, saying he and his men are glad that they had saved lives.

“They (critics) have their opinions. What is important is we were able to perform our duty. We are happy that we were able to help those in need,” the young lieutenant said.

“When members of the 84th SAC thanked us, we were very happy. They said they won’t be able to be with their families anymore if not for us,” he added.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Hernando Iriberri said Mateo’s award should not be linked with the intrigues surrounding the clash.

Meanwhile, Mateo disputed allegations that some of the firearms of the slain SAF members that were entrusted to the Army wound up in the hands of the MILF.

“My troops cannot do that. In fact, before they (SAF) left the area, they left one of the guns under the tree. My troops picked it up and returned it to them,” he said.

The Board of Inquiry (BOI) that probed the clash has released a report containing the statement of 84th Special Action Company member PO2 Rommel Magno, who claimed to have turned over his rifle to the Army’s Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC).

Magno, who was seriously injured, allegedly handed his rifle as well as those of his dead comrades to a member of the DRC.

“When Magno’s rifle was returned, its GL M203 grenade launcher was missing,” the report read.

Magno’s rifle, the BOI report said, was among the firearms turned over by the MILF ceasefire panel to its government counterpart.

“This meant that the firearms got into the hands of Moro rebels when it should have been under the protection of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) troops,” the report read.

The BOI findings were released amid reports that the 16 SAF firearms returned by the MILF last month had been cannibalized.

A total of 64 SAF firearms were lost during the Mamasapano clash.

Security officials confirmed yesterday that SAF officers invited military officers in Central Mindanao to a dinner on the eve of operations in Mamasapano.

While puzzled by the timing of the invitation, defense and military officials declined to speculate on the motive.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Army and SAF officials dined in Koronadal, South Cotabato, more than 70 kilometers from Mamasapano.

Gazmin said the SAF officers invited the commander of the Army’s 45th Infantry Battalion Col. Romeo Bautista and 601st Infantry Brigade commander Col. Melquiades Feliciano.

When asked if he thinks the SAF had intended to exclude the Army in the operation, Gazmin said: “It’s up to you to interpret.”

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV had claimed that the SAF had intentionally excluded the military from the Jan. 25 operation in Mamasapano that targeted wanted terrorists.

Citing information from a Senate executive session, Trillanes said the SAF had wanted to conduct the operation alone.

The operation targeted Malaysian bomb expert Zulkifli bin Hir and his Filipino cohort Basit Usman, high-profile terrorists with bounties on their heads.

The United States offered $5 million for Marwan’s arrest while Usman had a bounty of $1 million. Marwan was killed during the covert operation while Usman managed to escape.

SAF officials have repeatedly denied that the police commandos were motivated by the reward money.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr. confirmed that the SAF and Army officers had dinner but declined to elaborate.

“Unfortunately, it was discussed in a closed door session but I am not at liberty to talk about that because it was an executive session,” Catapang said.

The PNP has yet to issue a directive to reconvene its BOI following new revelations on the Mamasapano incident.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the BOI was dissolved as soon as BOI head Director Benjamin Magalong submitted their report on March 12.

“As far as PNP is concerned, our BOI has released its official findings,” Cerbo said. “As of now, there is no order for the BOI to reconvene and undertake a new investigation.”

Cerbo’s statement was in reaction to the allegation of Trillanes that SAF officers invited their military counterparts to drink the night before the Mamasapano incident apparently to check whether they got wind of the mission.

Cerbo was quick to clarify that this does not mean that the PNP is not interested in investigating the new developments. “Let us wait for the official directive of the PNP leadership. As of now, there are no directives issued so far,” he said.

BOI, OAT men awarded

Two weeks after submitting their findings, the PNP cited the members of the BOI for a job well done in ferreting out the truth in the encounters in Mamasapano where 44 SAF commandos, 18 Moro rebels and five civilians were killed.

BOI head Magalong, along with vice chairman Director Catalino Rodriguez and member Chief Supt. John Sosito, were all awarded the Medalya ng Pambihirang Panglilingkod or PNP Special Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious and invaluable service in the field of police operations.

Operational Audit Team (OAT) leader Senior Supt. Robert Po led the other officials who received Medalya ng Kasanayan or the PNP Efficiency Medal for invaluable support to the BOI in its fact finding investigation on Mamasapano.

Aside from Po, other recipients of PNP Efficiency Medal were OAT members Sr. Supts. Ronald dela Rosa, Cesar Hawthorne Binag, Benigno Durana and BOI report head Sr. Supt. Rudy Lacadin.

The awards were personally given to the police officers by PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director Gen. Leonardo Espina and Deputy Director Gen. Marcelo Garbo, chief directorial staff, during the regular flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame yesterday.

Cerbo said the medals given to the police officers in recognition for their service came without any financial renumeration or other incentives.

No knowledge

Suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima had no prior knowledge of the Jan. 25 Mamasapano operation of the SAF, his lawyer Kristoffer James Purisima said yesterday.

Had he learned of it beforehand, he would have informed PNP OIC Espina about it, said Purisima, a cousin of the suspended PNP chief.

As early as April 2014, he said the then PNP chief had delegated operational authority on the mission to capture three suspected terrorists in Maguindanao to then SAF chief Director Getulio Napeñas. – With Jess Diaz, Cecille Suerte Felipe