President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed today, February 8, the approval of the conferment of the Philippine National Police Medal of Valor (Medalya ng Kagitingan) to the remaining 42 ill-fated Special Action Force (SAF) personnel, who died during the botched Mamasapano anti-terror raid in 2015.
The Medal of Valor is the highest award that can be bestowed to a member of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
The decision came in the wake of the second anniversary of the Mamasapano clash, following the promise made by the Chief Executive during the dialogue with the families of the SAF 44 personnel held in January at the Heroes Hall of Malacañan.
During the dialogue, the President underscored the importance of recognizing the heroism of not only two but all of the 44 fallen policemen. It can be recalled that only two of the 44 SAF personnel were conferred with the Medal of Valor award in 2016, while the remaining 42 were merely given the PNP Distinguished Medal (Medalya ng Kabayanihan) award.
“Bakit dalawa lang ang [Medal of] Valor? Eh lahat naman ‘yun namatay… So I am asking [PNP Director General Ronald] Dela Rosa to study the matter very carefully and look that up… Tutal nandiyan na ‘yung records, hindi naman kailangan mag-imbestiga-imbestiga. Look at the records of the Senate and everything. And if you think as a soldier that the 44 deserves the [Medal of] Valor, then recommend it and I would give it to them. All of the soldiers, the 44,” the President assured.
Following the approval, the 42 SAF personnel award will be upgraded from the Medalya ng Kabayanihan to the Medal of Valor, which will be bestowed in recognition of their acts of conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life and limb above and beyond the call of duty as members of the Main Effort 1 (ME1), 84th Special Action Company (Seaborne), Rapid Deployment Battalion, Main Effort 2 (ME2), 55th Special Action Company, and the 5th Special Action Battalion of the PNP SAF, respectively.
The 42 SAF personnel who will receive the posthumous award were the following:
PCINSP RYAN B PABALINAS
PCINSP MAX JIM R TRIA
PCINSP JOHN GARRY A ERANA
PCINSP CYRUS P ANNIBAN
PSINSP JOEY S GAMUTAN
PSINSP RENNIE LUMASAG TAYRUS
SPO2 LOVER LADAO INOCENCIO
SPO1 RODRIGO FERNANDEZ ACOB, JR.
SPO1 VIRGEL SERION VILLANUEVA
SPO1 NOEL ONANGEY GOLOCAN
SPO1 ANDRES V DUQUE, JR.
SPO1 JUNREL N KIBETE
SPO1 VICTORIANO N ACAIN, JR.
SPO1 ROBERT D ALLAGA
SPO1 JEDZ-IN A ASJALI
SPO1 JOHN LLOYD R SUMBILLA
PO3 AMMAN M ESMULA
PO3 ROMEO V SENIN II
PO3 CHUM G AGABON
PO3 GLENN B BEDUA
PO3 RICHELLE S BALUGA
PO3 NOEL N BALACA JR
PO3 JOEL B DULNUAN
PO3 WALNER F DANAO
PO3 GODOFREDO B CABANLET
PO3 FRANKLIN C DANAO
PO3 JERRY D KAYOB
PO3 NOBLE S KIANGAN
PO3 EPHRAIM G MEJIA
PO3 OMAR A NACIONALES
PO3 RODEL E RAMACULA
PO3 ROGER CORDERO CORDERO
PO3 PETERSON INDONGSAN CARAP
PO3 NICKY DE CASTRO NACINO, JR.
PO2 RUSSEL B BILOG
PO2 WINDEL L CANDANO
PO2 LORETO G CAPINDING II
PO2 GRINGO C CAYANG-O
PO2 MARK LORY O CLEMENCIO
PO2 JOSEPH G SAGONOY
PO2 OLIEBETH L VIERNES
PO2 ANGEL CHOCOWEN KODIAMAT
These awardees now join the ranks of the two SAF personnel who were conferred with the award last year, Senior Insp. Gednat Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron. ###Maro-Content
