PNP Medal of Valor for SAF Troopers

According to Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the approval of the conferment of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Medal of Valor (Medalya ng Kagitingan) to the remaining 42 ill-fated Special Action Force (SAF) personnel who died during in Mamasapano anti-terror raid in 2015.

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 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.

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. ●