Senators interview SAF clash survivors

MANILA, Philippines - Superintendent Raymond Train and PO2 Christopher Lalan, two of the Special Action Force (SAF) police commandos who survived the Mamasapano firefight, yesterday narrated the fierce battle they had to endure in a bid to escape the bloody encounter with Muslim rebels that left 44 of their comrades dead in Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

Train and Lalan gave their statements before the senators who went into executive session at around 4:30 p.m. after almost seven hours of open hearing that started at 10 a.m. at the plenary hall.

Senators were all ears as Train recalled events which started when he and his team of 36 operatives began their trek to the lair of terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, at 2:30 a.m. from their drop-off point near Maharlika Highway.

Train led the SAF’s 84th Seaborne Company in the assault on Marwan’s hut, located 250 meters from the drop-off point. Only 13 of the assault team were able to cross the river because of strong currents.

In a debriefing, Train said he and 12 of his men proceeded with the plan to get Marwan since the others were having difficulty crossing the river. He added some of his men almost drowned in trying to get across.

Train and his men reached the target at 4:15 p.m. Marwan opened fire at the SAF team after he was alerted by the presence of the lawmen surrounding his hut.

After the initial exchange of gunfire, SAF commandos attacked the hut and Marwan was shot in the chest. The team quickly took pictures of Marwan and severed his index finger, which was later turned over to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for DNA test.

Train said they decided to immediately withdraw from the area, fearing the exchange of fire could have alerted villagers. 

Another target, Basit Usman, was able to escape the assault. His hut was about 70 meters away from Marwan’s.

Train also responded to queries of senators about how they managed to get out of the area up to the time they were rescued by a special team at 11:30 p.m. as validated by the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry.

Lalan, meanwhile, told the senators that he hid near a river dike as many of his 35 comrades crawled in the vast cornfields, then still awaiting rescue.