ZAMBOANGA City, Philippines - The city government on Wednesday hoisted the Philippine flag at half mast as it joins the mourning for the 44 police commandos, five of them were Zamboangueños, killed in an encounter fighters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar ordered the hoisting of the flag at half mast at the city hall. She also led residents in a candle lighting ceremony at the Fort Pilar Shrine.
“We mourn the death of our elite PNP (Philippine National Police) members and we would like to thank them for their bravery and heroism in defending the city against the attackers during the siege,” Salazar said.
Most of the police commandos who were sent on a mission to capture Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomber Malaysian Zulkipli bin Hir alias Marwan and his Filipino cohort Basit Usman in Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano town were mostly based in the city under the 5th Special Action Force (SAF) Battalion.
Salazar said the same SAF personnel also helped secure and defend the city at the height of the September 2013 siege in this city by the rebels of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Nur Misuari faction.
Salazar also called on the residents to pray for the orphaned families of the fallen SAF members.