PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina . INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揟he Philippine National Police vowed justice for at least 30 elite Special Action Forces officers who died in a clash with rebels of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on Sunday.
鈥淧ursuit operations are underway against lawless elements who figured in an encounter with our troops in Maguindanao today even as we mourn the loss of some police commandos of the PNP SAF who offered the supreme sacrifice for peace,鈥� PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina said in a statement.
鈥淚 extend my deepest sympathy to the orphaned families of our fallen policemen. They died a meaningful death on the side of justice and righteousness. They did not die in vain.聽Justice and peace will prevail,鈥� he added.
At least 30 policemen and five MILF members died when a clash broke out after police forces entered the MILF base, allegedly violating the ceasefire agreement between the two parties.
鈥淥perational information from the field are still sketchy at the moment but what we know so far is that there is an ongoing operation in the area against a high-value target believed to be behind the recent spate of bombings in Central Mindanao,鈥� he said.
In an earlier Inquirer report,聽Von Al Haq, vice chair for military affairs of the MILF, said the PNP SAF did not properly coordinate with the MILF when they set out to serve warrants of arrest for Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as 鈥淢arwan,鈥� and 鈥淏asit Usman,鈥� a Jemaah Islamiyah bomb-making expert, in Barangay (village) Tukanalipao.
Espina said the PNP has coordinated with the Armed Forces of the Philippines for 鈥渁n operational assessment to聽determine possible courses of action.鈥�
鈥淚 have instructed police commanders in the area to make available all support systems to contain the situation and mitigate the effects on civilian communities in the area,鈥� he added.
While dealing with the deaths of some PNP forces, Espina said they are also prioritizing 鈥渕edical evacuation and treatment of the wounded and extraction of the casualties from the battle zone.鈥�