Slain SAF men airlifted to Manila today

MANILA, Philippines - The remains of 41 police Special Action Force (SAF) members killed in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Maguindanao will be airlifted to Manila today and be given arrival honors by police and military officials.

Philippine National Police deputy spokesman Senior Superintendent Robert Po said the C-130 is expected to arrive at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City at 10 a.m.

President Aquino will lead police and military officials in receiving the bodies of SAF members.

The cadavers will be brought to the headquarters of SAF in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Po could not say whether the policemen will be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, which is being maintained by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Muslim SAF member buried

Meanwhile, police forces held a 21-gun salute during the burial yesterday of PO3 Jedz-in Asjali, a Tausug who was among the SAF members killed.

The remains of Asjali and fellow Muslim PO3 Amman Esmula arrived in Zamboanga City Tuesday night on board a private van from Camp Awang in Maguindanao. The bodies were turned over to their respective families.

Asjali’s remains were brought to his mother’s house in Barangay Sta. Barbara, where the body was later cleansed in Muslim rites and wrapped in white cloths in time for his burial yesterday.

Close to 500 families, relatives and neighbors of Asjali joined the burial at the Muslim cemetery in Barangay Mampang. They were escorted by the Regional Public Safety Battalion.

Asjali’s remains were placed in a white coffin and draped with the Philippine flag. The flag was later turned over to his mother and his body removed from the coffin in accordance with Islamic tradition where the dead should only be wrapped in white cloth when buried.

Last Sunday, the SAF attempted to arrest Jemaah Islamiyah bomber Malaysian Zulkipli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino cohort Basit Usman in Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town. Marwan and Usman are both wanted by the US and Philippine governments. But MILF guerillas attacked the SAF.

‘No justice if gov’t heeds peace pact’

Ibrahim, Asjali’s younger brother, believes that there will be no justice for his fallen brother and the rest of the SAF members if the government will heed the peace agreement with the MILF.

“There will only be honor and justice if the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) will not succeed,” he said.

The proposed BBL will create an autonomous Bangsamoro entity in Mindanao. The creation of the Bangsamoro entity is part of the government’s peace agreement with the MILF. 

The Senate and House of Representative have suspended the executive session for the BBL pending results of the investigation of the carnage last Sunday.– With Roel Pareño, Raymund Catindig, Eva Visperas, John Unson, Jose Rodel Clapano, Edu Punay