SAF commandos in Marawi earn promotion, vacation

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Special Action Force who fought Islamic State-inspired terrorists during the siege of Marawi City are going to be promoted one rank higher and will receive a one-month vacation.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa made the announcement during the Heroes' Ceremony for the police commandos at the SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa on Wednesday.

“I'm meritoriously promoting you one rank higher,” Dela Rosa said in his speech, eliciting cheers from the 182 SAF troopers who arrived from the five-month armed conflict in Marawi.

It means a total of 491 members of the elite police unit who battled foreign and local terrorists will be promoted. The other police officers returned to their respective mother units from other parts of the country.

The five police superintendents who led the SAF commandos will have to undergo the normal process as there is no meritorious promotion for third level ranks.

Aside from the promotion, Dela Rosa also gave the police officers a one-month vacation.

He was initially hesitant in giving the policemen a month-long break because of the upcoming 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit to be held in November.

However, Dela Rosa was assured by SAF chief Director Benjamin Lusad there are enough personnel to secure the meeting.

Dela Rosa became emotional when he recalled how he endured receiving reports of casualties from the field during the siege.

“I was also thinking of your families while you were all there,” Dela Rosa said as he tried to fight back tears.

Four SAF troopers were killed in combat in Marawi: Police Officers 3 Alexis Mangaldan, Alexis Laurente, and Daniel Tegwa and PO1 Moises Kimayong Jr.

A total of 60 other police commandos were also injured in clashes with rebels.

“I'm very thankful that you have all returned,” said Dela Rosa.

Sought for comment, Dela Rosa told reporters it is normal for him to become emotional when he saw police officers who fought terrorists in Marawi.

The policemen were given a warm welcome as they marched from Dona Soledad Avenue to Camp Bagong Diwa.

Bystanders cheered and even took photographs of the policemen who walked about one kilometer towards their headquarters.

Superintendent Rex Malimban, one of the officers who led the SAF contingent, said the five months they spent in Marawi were full of challenges, wherein they worked hand in hand with their counterparts from the Armed Forces of the Philippines in flushing out members of the Maute group and foreign terrorists.

“Our SAF troopers experienced the same situations like rescuing hostages and clearing buildings,” Malimban said in an interview with reporters.

Malimban is happy the war is over as they will now have time with their respective families.

Some of the policemen were also relieved to have survived the battles against the terrorists.

“I'm very happy that I would be spending time with my family,” a police officer who introduced himself as SPO2 Wandag told reporters in a brief interview.

Wandag was with his wife and two-year-old son whom he has not seen for seven months as he was deployed elsewhere for two months prior to the siege in Marawi.

Police Officer Yussel Bautista, who was wounded in battle, said they are happy they are now back with their mother units.

Meanwhile, another SAF trooper who refused to be identified said he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from ordinary civilians who welcomed them.

“We have also seen positive comments on Facebook about our efforts,” he said.