Punchline
Anguish of Fallen 44’s families
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
I HAVE a footnote on the day the nation, particularly the families of the Fallen 44 (or Gallant 44) SAF me-mbers who were massacred two years ago in Mamasapano.
Arranged by Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, the bereaved families had the opportunity to have a dialogue with President Duterte in Malacañang. As I listened to their gripes, from unfulfilled promises of financial assistance to housing, one that stood out was the hurt and seeming humiliation felt by 42 families whose fallen father, husband, son and brother were not awarded the Medal of Valor. Only two were awarded the medal. (Note: the medal carries benefits for survivor and or surviving families for life).
It was an emotional issue because it bode ill will not only towards the system but among the families themselves: the two against the 42. And understandably so for after all, all 44 died under the same circumstances. Why were only two given the coveted medal?
Being familiar with military traditions, I do know that to earn the highest honor and medal by men and women in uniform, one does not have to die in action. There is a separate and distinct basis to earn it and dying in action is not the main factor. The PNP’s Medal of Valor (Medal of Honor for the military) has one distinct criteria: the recipient must have demonstrated the exemplary courage, beyond the normal call of duty in the battlefield. A different medal, honor and benefits are reserved for those who die in a battle.
One recipient of Medal of Honor is former Marine Col. Ariel Querubin. In the citation, he was described as “having inspired courage in his men with his daring maneuvers, unmindful of his own safety, moving positions and drawing fire towards himself with the end of pinpointing where the enemy fire was coming from.” He survived that encounter.
From where I stand, presumably the two SAF members awarded the Medal of Valor were cited under similar circumstances by survivors at the height of the firefight.
There lies the rub – no one cared to explain to the bereaved families.
The PNP owes that clarification to the 42 families. It’s indeed, regrettable and an insult to the memories of the 42 SAF members to insinuate by not clarifying early on that they died in vain. They were all heroes for fighting to the last man but there were two who apparently did more than just fight.
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ACTIVIST SSS FINALLY! Here’s an encouraging news from the Social Security Commission (SSC) for employees who have been cheated of their social security benefits because their employers didn’t (and don’t) remit their employees’ social security and employees’ compensation contributions to the Social Security System (SSS).
Employers in Pangasinan, beware! The owners of a publishing company are now in jail for non-payment and non-remittance. The Makati Regional Trial Court convicted Victor A. Caluag, his 83-year old mother Conchita and Ma. Antonietta R. Henson, Board of Directors of Silver Stream Publishing Corporation, for non-remittance of contributions.
Warrants of arrest were also recently issued to owners of Paladin Protective & Security Services, Inc. for the same violations.
SSS began conducting its own version of Operation Tokhang early this month. SSS issues a show cause order to delinquent employers to give them a chance to comply with the SS Act. Failing to comply, a legal case would be filed against them.
And more. The list of top delinquent employers will soon be published in media. From 2010 to first semester of 2016, SSS has initiated legal actions against 34,000 delinquent employers.
Employees are encouraged to verify the status of their membership so validation of their employers’ compliance with the law can be done.
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USING CYBERSPACE FOR POLICE WORK. Three issues ago, we ran a story on how the Asingan police is showing the way how social media and cyberspace can help it in maintaining peace and order. It launched its ‘Project WANTED’ on Facebook. (Check out Asingan Most Wanted | Facebook).
The police station has seen it fit to post names and faces of fugitives on the run and persons who are subjects of arrest warrants on its Facebook account.
The old (and largely ignored) system of posting names and mug shots of wanted criminals and suspects outside police stations can no longer serve the purpose. With smartphones in the hands of netizens, the information about a suspect can be accessed in real time and the desired action can be immediately launched.
Most police stations in the province have already created their own Facebook accounts. But the contents are mainly about their accomplishments and activities related to every day work. Sure, keep all these tidbits in there but their FB accounts can also serve the community’s welfare by featuring or creating a “Rogues’ Gallery” that can help catch and put criminals behind bars.
Indeed, how can the citizenry help protect themselves if they have no way of knowing whether neighbor or household help is a fugitive wanted for homicide or qualified theft.
I suggest that the provincial police office creates it’s own rogues’ gallery with a better template. Each name and mug shot should be accompanied by the crime alleged in the arrest warrant for easier recall of online visitors. (In the Asingan FB, to know about the alleged crime committed, one has to open and peruse the warrant document which words are in hardly legible fonts). Let’s have titles: WANTED FOR QUALIFED THEFT and below it would be the name, photo and scanned copy of the warrant.
Imagine the impact on the fugitive and relatives who are made aware of the posting. There will be great family and peer pressure on the suspect to surrender, that’s for sure.
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WHEN COPS COMMIT CRIMES. Still on the subject of handling crime suspects.
Haven’t you noticed the disparity and disproportionate treatment of crime suspects, between a civilians and police officers as suspects?
When suspects behind a crime are police officers, procedurally, they are merely ordered to higher headquarters and placed under restrictive custody or restricted to quarters. It means they can stay inside air-conditioned offices, order fastfood and sleep early. In contrast, when the suspects are civilians, charges are filed within 24 hours and quickly detained in a smelly sweltering prison cell.
See how the likes of police officers led by P/Supt. Marvin Marcos, primary suspects in the killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., were processed. They were simply placed under restrictive custody. Imagine if the suspects were civilians. Tsk-tsk.
No wonder, we have criminal minds who’d do all to be in the police force to pursue their trade. If caught, they know they will be placed under restrictive custody for as long as the investigation takes and will not be detained in prison cells until criminally charged.
Check out the increasing number of PO1s-PO3s being implicated in kidnapping, drugs, carnapping, homicide, robbery, etc.
This discriminatory practice must stop if we are to see a disciplined professional police force. A police robber-carnapper is worse than a civilian robber-carnapper!
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