Jobs for kids of slain SAF members

CEBU, Philippines - The children of the Special Action Force members from Cebu who were killed in the Mamasapano massacre can be assured of a job once they graduate from college through a scholarship from the University of the Visayas.

This was the assurance of UV President Eduardo Gullas, who said: “Not only that they assured of a college education and of elementary and secondary education, they are assured of work after they finish.”

Gullas said that should the children choose to enroll in education, they can be assured of a teaching post in the schools division in the Cebu first district where Gullas was former congressman.

“We have four divisions there: Talisay City, Naga City, Carcar City and Cebu Province, where Minglanilla, San Fernando, and Sibonga belong. Niining four divisions maka-assure ta nga once they graduate, nga kung ang ilang kuhaon sa scholars BSED or BEED maka-assure ko nila nga makatudlo gyud sila with an item, with a teachers item.” Gullas said.

He said he and Inday Cering Gullas Lucero support the decision their brother, UV Executive Vice President and JRG Halad founder Jose Gullas to grant full scholarship to the children of the slain SAF members.

He said the scholarship and the job are the least they can do “to alleviate the suffering of the two families in Cebu.”

“This will assuage the parents that dili lang kay mahuman sa ilang (children) course we can give them work, luoy man gud kaayo,” Gullas said.

SUPPORT

Meanwhile, Valenzuela Representative Sherwin Gatchalian has supported the call of Cebu third distric Rep. Gwendolyn Garcia for the House committee on public safety and order to investigate, in aid of legislation, the unfortunate encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Gatchalian is pushing for the creation of an independent body that will investigate the botched Special Action Force operation to be patterned after the Davide Commission created by the administration of President Corazon Aquino to probe the series of coup attempts from 1986 to 1989.

“The independent body can be patterned after the Davide Commission which was created by then President Cory Aquino to conduct a fact-finding on the root causes of the series of failed coup attempts against the Aquino administration,” Gatchalian said in a statement.

The commission conducted a lengthy probe on the series of coup attempts in the late ‘80s, the most serious of which was in December 1989. It was also formed to make a list of recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Davide commission was led by no less than former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. It was composed of various luminaries from the academe and the private sector, namely Carolina Hernandez, Ricardo Romulo, Delfin Lazaro, and Christian Monsod.

Gatchalian said the independent fact-finding commission he is proposing can be headed by a retired Supreme Court justice with retired Armed Forces and National Police officials who are known for their integrity and independence, and investigative skills as its members.

Gatchalian said the proposed commission will also be expected to come up with expert and well-rounded recommendations that would address the lapses in the operation to avoid similar incidents from happening again. —(FREEMAN)