Scholarship offered to kids of slain cops

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas will be offering free education to the children of the Special Action Forces members from Cebu who were killed in the Mamasapano massacre.

“I will talk to the family about what we can do. Mutabang mi. Muhatag ko’g scholarship nila. They can take any course in UV for free,” said JRG Halad Foundation founder Jose Gullas, also the university’s executive vice president.

He said the scholarship will cover tuition from elementary to college and by time the children of PO1 Windell Candano and PO3 Junrel Kibete reach the tertiary level, they can take any course in UV except dentistry, medicine, law, and maritime.

Gullas said he is deeply “touched” by the policemen’s sacrifice and saddened by President Benigno Aquino’s absence at the arrival honors in Manila.

Aside from the scholarship for the children, Gullas said he also plans to honor the slain cops with “The Free Men of the Year 2015” award through the JRG Halad and The FREEMAN Foundation.

Aside from Candano and Kibete, local police also honored PO1 Romeo Cempron, another SAF member from Cebu who was killed in the carnage.

Gullas said he admired the courage of the Cebuano policemen. “Isog ta. Mga kaliwat gud ta ni Lapu-Lapu.”

He said he will meet with the wife of the slain SAF commandos so he will know how to help them.

Students of the University of the Visayas will wear black ribbons starting tomorrow until Saturday and the university’s flag will be flown at a half-mast to sympathize with the families of the 44 slain SAF members.

At the Police Regional Office-7, Chief Superintendent Prudencio Tom Bañas expressed his gratitude for the outpouring support for the families of the Cebuano commandos. He said the Regional Advisory Council has initiated a fundraising campaign for the benefit of the families.

He also said a mass leave among policemen to show sympathy to their slain colleagues is no longer needed and that protocol must be followed before PNP personnel are allowed to go on leave. — /JMO (FREEMAN)