President Benigno S. Aquino III declared Friday, January 30, 2015 as a “National Day of Mourning” for the 44 policemen killed on Sunday in the clash between the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Maguindanao.
The policemen were part of the 392 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) assigned to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and Filipino bombmaking expert Basit Usman who are both connected with Jemaah Islamiyah.
The national day of mourning will serve as the country’s way of extending condolences to the families of the slain police officers. (READ: Proclamation No. 953 declaring “National Day of Mourning”)
The ‘national day of mourning’ was first initiated by Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday. “The highest honor that the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III can bestow on these gallant police officers is to declare a national day of mourning and to raise the Philippine flag at half mast in all government offices as well as public schools,” he said.
President Aquino delivered on Wednesday night a nationwide address on the deadly clash in Maguindanao between police elite forces and Muslim rebels.
Hi “Message to the Nation” took place at 6:30 p.m. and lasted around 20 minutes. (Click here to watch the replay video of his address. Transcript of his message is available here.)
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