SOME 182 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos who fought in Marawi City arrived in Manila to a heroes' welcome on Wednesday, October 25.
From SM Bicutan, the SAF contingents marched towards the SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa where they were welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd that chanted "Lodi!" (The reverse form of the word idol) and waved Philippine flags.
The SAF troopers were visibly elated by the warm welcome.
A total of 496 SAF troopers were sent to Marawi when the Maute terror group staged an attack on the city on May 23.
Four SAF members -- Police Officer 3 Alexis Mangaldan, Police Officer 1 Moises Kimayong, Police Officer 3 Alexis Laurente and Police Officer 3 Daniel Tegwa -- were not able to make it out of Marawi alive while 60 others were wounded.
Senior Police Officer 1 Wandag, who refused to give his first name said many times during the battle that their determination and perseverance to fulfill their responsibilities to the country as well as their love for the country were tested for several times as they face near death situations.
"Mahirap talaga kaya masaya kami na nakauwi pa rin ng buhay," he said. [It was really hard that is why we are happy we came back home alive.]
Wandag was welcomed by his wife who is also a SAF trooper and his two-year-old son who can hardly recognize him as the last time he saw him was seven months ago.
Meantime, SAF director Benjamin Lusad congratulated his men for a job well done.
He also thanked them for choosing to fulfill their sworn duties to the country despite the tough mission.
For his part, PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa who also welcomed his men announced that a meritorious promotion will be bestowed upon them.
"Nakita ko 'yung ginampanan nila ang kanilang objectives doon, hindi umalis at naghihirap at talagang buhay sinusugal nila so they deserve meritorious promotion," he said.
An emotional Dela Rosa said he prayed for his men every night since they were deployed in Marawi as he was thinking about how their families are thinking and feeling.
However, during the interview, Dela Rosa said it was a tear of joy as his children return home alive.
"It's normal for me dahil five months ka na gabi-gabi takot na ako magbasa ng cellphone ko sa report kung ilan nanaman ang minalas sa ating mga tao, ilan nanaman ang namatay at wounded kayanagpasalamat ako. ‘Yung emotion ko is masaya," he said.
Dela Rosa gave the SAF commandos a one-month vacation for them to spend time with their families and loved ones.
After five months of continuous gun battle, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday declared the termination of combat operations in Marawi as all rebels were finished in which they were either killed, arrested our surrender.
The military said a total of 920 Maute fighters, 165 government troops were killed in action.
Superintendent Rex Malimban, SAF combat group commander for Marawi contingent, said the SAF's role in Marawi was clearing of the buildings and the rescue of the hostages.
He said there had been a “tough fight” during their operations in Marawi.
However, he said they are feeling happy as the war-torn city was liberated from the terrorists and that they are going back home but at the same time sad as they have to part ways with their military counterparts noting that they had good camaraderie while fighting for the country. (VoxPop Philippines)
