Miya Mejia: Where is justice?
A FALLEN 44’s WIDOW CRIES
SAN NICOLAS–There could be no justice if questions are left unanswered, if the perpetrators are not hailed to court.
This was reiterated by Mrs. Miya Mejia, widow of the late PO2 Ephraim Garcia, one of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos killed in an encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation Organization (MILF), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) and other private armed groups in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25 during the necrological rites on Thursday for her husband.
PO2 Mejia is survived by his wife Miya, their three-year-old daughter July, his mother Helen, brother Corporal Marcos Mejia of the Philippine Army their youngest sister Ruth, and other relatives.
Mejia, one of the now famous “Fallen 44” was finally laid to rest at the municipal cemetery of San Nicolas town last February 6.
It was a day of mourning in the town of San Nicolas near the foothills of the Caraballo mountains when Mejia was given a hero’s burial at 12:00 noon, complete with gun salutes and the sound of taps befitting a hero.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr., in his eulogy had suggested to the people of San Nicolas led by Mayor Rebecca Saldivar a monument of PO2 Mejia be erected in front of the town hall, being the town hero.
The funeral procession for the fallen hero, started from the Mejia’s home in Barangay Caloocan, San Nicolas at 8:00 a.m. and ended in front of the municipal hall at past 9:00 a.m.
The mourners were led by Gov. Espino, himself a retired police senior superintendent, and Second District Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil, a retired police director and a former commander of a SAF battalion in 1992.
The flag-draped casket was carried by 10 SAF troopers and acted as pall bearers when the procession reached the Poblacion where thousands of people waited to also pay their last respects.
Mayor Saldivar said all the people of San Nicolas mourned the tragedy that befell one of their beloved sons.
“With the death of Ephraim, a hero was born in San Nicolas. Rest assured that the memory of Ephraim will not be buried in oblivion because his legacy is worth telling to our children and their children’s children”, Saldivar said, adding that PO2 Mejia is an “epitome of a true San Nicolasinian and a true Pangasinense.”
Bataoil expressed hope that the investigation being conducted in Congress will lead to something positive to give justice to all, especially to the people who sacrificed their lives, “for God, duty and country”
Responding to these eulogies, Corporal Marcos Mejia, younger brother of Ephraim, said the heroism of policemen and soldiers must be matched by the support of the people, reminding that their policemen and soldiers till these times lack equipment.
The widow of PO2 Mejia, Miya, said: “Justice to me is to get answers to the many unanswered questions surrounding the death of the Fallen 44, and for those responsible for this, whoever they are, must face the court of law”.
She said Ephraim was a good husband, good father to their daughter July, a good son and a good sibling”, she said.
A resolution of the provincial board expressing condolences to the bereaved Mejia family and lauding Mejia for gallantry and heroism was handed by Gov. Espino, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim and Board Member Ranjit Shahani. It was handed to the widow of the late SAF man.
A separate resolution of condolences which included financial assistance was also handed to the family by the San Nicolas town council.
Others who delivered eulogies were Sixth District Rep. Marlyn Primicias Agabas, PO2 Mejia’s classmate in the SAF Course PO2 Bernadette Ayangwa and Sr. Inspector Rogelio Payagan of SAF.
Sr. Supt. Reynaldo Biay, officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan police, and all the chiefs of police of the province, all paid their last respects to PO2 Mejia. (Leonardo Micua)
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