LA TRINIDAD, Benguet- – Ten Cordillerans belonging to the Philippine National Police -Special Action Force who survived the infamous “Mamasapano” operation last January were among the 29 personnel who were promoted recently to a rank higher.
The National Police Commission had confirmed the meritorious promotion of the 29 SAF personnel, for “demonstrating acts of conspicuous courage and gallantry in action at the risk of their lives over and beyond the call of duty during an armed encounter on January 25, 2015 at Brgy. Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao.”
Promoted to the next higher rank are PO3 Juanito Yogyog, PO2 Solomon Agayso, PO2 Adolfo Andrada, PO2 Carlos Bocaig, PO2 Ard Dulnuan, PO2 Christopher Lalan, PO2 Dominick Likingan, PO2 Jose Mana-Ar, Jr., PO2 Anson Posot, and PO1 Clifford Agayyong.
Lalan is the lone survivor of the 55th Special Action Company , the “blocking force” of the Mamasapano operation where 44 SAF commandos including 14 Cordillerans were killed in an encounter with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and other armed groups.
Mana-ar Jr., a member of the 84th Seaborne Company, thanked everyone for the recognizing their courage, and success in the operation in Mamasapano, which lead to the death of Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as “ Marwan”, a Malaysian member of the al Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiah militant group behind numerous bombing attacks in the Philippines.
He is thankful for the promotion because he applied and waited long before the Mamasapano operation./JDP/JBZ-PIA CAR
