Palace: Aid given to SAF 44 families now at P188 million

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Sunday announced that the total amount of assistance given to the kin of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) members killed in the Mamasapano incident last year has now reached P188 million.

"For the information of the public, we are ready to provide them with data so that they will understand that the government has tried its best to provide the necessary assistance,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a Radyo ng Bayan interview.

It has been a year since the deadly encounter among the SAF 44,  the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The government forces were carrying out a mission to capture wanted Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir.

Citing data from the Presidential Management Staff, Coloma said out of the total amount, P151.2 million in mandatory lump sum benefits and other assistance have been given to the families of the SAF 44.

”It has different ranges depending on the tenure or years of services,” Coloma said.

Coloma said the immediate families of the SAF 44 have also been receiving monthly pension now amounting to P10.1 million from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Police Commission.

”This is a continuing benefit aside from another third category which is the donations that the SAF 44 families have received through the PNP Special Financial Assistance Fund, Senate, House of Representatives and local government unit of Dasmariñas, Cavite,” Coloma said.

He said the total donation is P26.87 million.

Coloma clarified that aside from the immediate families of the SAF 44, the extended families totaling 261 have also benefited in the aspect of livelihood, housing, education and other related assistance.

”So we did not confine only to the immediate family as provided by law, but the extended family members have also been provided with assistance,” he said.