Home from mission
Pallbearers carrying caskets of the troopers during arrival honors at the Mactan Cebu-International Airport (MCIA).
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
The widow of PO2 Windel Candano kept her brown Aviator sun shades on.
She said his casket would remain closed.
“Akong kaugalingon dili katoo nga siya to pero akong feelings nag dikta sad nga ako tong bana,” she told reporters at the Mactan airport.
“(I can’t believe that’s him but my feelings tell me that’s my husband.)
Pain, disbelief and pride combined in yesterday’s arrival of the remains of two Cebu police commandos who were among the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers killed in combat during a secret anti-terrorist mission in Maguindanao.
Muted drums and a mournful trumpet played “Nearer my God to Thee” as flag-draped caskets of PO2 Candano of Dumanjug town and PO1 Romeo Cempron of Consolacion were carried on the shoulders of police escorts led by SAF officers in black berets.
Bright morning sunshine spilled on the tarmac where the Cebu Pacific flight touched down at 7:20 a.m.
Family members and friends of the fallen commandos stood waiting, some weeping, outside the Most Important Persons (MIP) lounge. Some had waited since 5 a.m.
OUR HERO
About 60 relatives from Dumanjug wore white T-shirts with the face of PO2 Candano, a medic, with the words “Our Hero” printed on them.
Gov. Hilario Davide III joined the arrival honors with at least 120 policemen led by Senior Supt. Conrado Capa, officer-in-charge of Cebu City police and Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, director of Cebu province.
Widow and son of PO2 Windel Candano (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Dumanjug Mayor Nelso Garcia and Consolacion Mayor Teresa Alegado were also there.
The widow Michelle and 7-year-old son Sian disembarked the plane from Manila, where a necrological service for all fallen SAF officers was held the day before at Camp Bagong Diwa.
The widow said President Aquino, who stayed for 11 hours to meet each family, told them not to hesitate to let him know what the family needs.
“It’s justice for my husband and everyone who died in the clash. That’s all I want,” she said.
Two rows of uniformed police officers saluted as the caskets were carried slowly to waiting funeral vehicles.
Young Sian stood silently by his mother.
“Daddy”, he said as the casket was loaded on the hearse.
His uncle, Winson, brother of Windel, lifted the boy into his arms.
The brother told Cebu Daily News that hours before the Mamasapano encounter, Windel called his only son on the mobile phone to greet him on his 7th birthday.
Winson said he wanted to follow his brother’s footsteps and join the SAF.
The last time they were together, the police officer had given him two pairs of his fatigue uniforms.
“I still have that plan but my parents don’t want me to purse it,”’ he said.
Their youngest sister, Louejen, 18, broke into tears when she recalled calling the mobile phone of the SAF trooper after the Mamasapano clash.
The man who answered the call told her her brother was dead. There were other men’s voices in the background.
“We couldn’t understand what he they were saying. They were not speaking Bisaya. They were even laughing,” she told reporters. About 60 relatives from Dumanjug town showed up at the airport.
Their mother waited at home. Neighbors who have displayed welcome tarpaulins outside the house.
After two days of vigil in Dumanjug, PO2 Candano’s remains will be brought to Mambaling, Cebu City for an extended wake then buired in Talisay City on February 8.
CONSOLACION
A relative carries a photo of PO1 Romeo Cempron (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)
Barangay officials and tanods of Tayud, Consolacion town and their barangay tanods to pay their respects as well for PO1 Romeo Cempron.
Cempron will be buried on Feb. 8 but no decision was made yet on where.
At the request of Consolacion Mayor Alegado, his remains will be brought to barangay Tayud on Friday to allow the community to pay their respects.
A vigil began at the St. Peter’s funeral home in Mandaue City. His white and silver casket was half opened for viewing.
Through the glass panel, one can only see Cempron’s empty blue police uniform. His sealed remains were out of sight in the bottom half of the casket.
“I could tell it was him,” said his widow Christine, a pediatrician. She was able to view his face earlier but said she couldn’t bear to show his bloated remains.
“We don’t want that to be our last memory of him,” she said.
“I’m happy he is now home but very sad and hurt that he arrived this way.”
“There were so many things we wanted to do but we can’t anymore,” she said.
The couple had been married for two years and planned to start a family.
Their last communication was a text message he sent on Sunday at 1 p.m. that they had reached Cotabato.
She replied, “Amping mo diha.” (Take care there.)
GALLANTRY
Two framed posthumous awards were placed on his coffin by the widow.
One is from the policeman’s fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, the other is a temporary certificate of the Medalya ng Katapangan (PNP Bravery Medal) handed to the family by President Aquino.
It said the award was for “gallantry in action during an armed encounter with lawless elements/ Southern Philippine Terrorists”on Jan. 25, 2015 in Brgy. Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Magunidanao.”
It said Cempron was among 72 members of the 55th and 84th Special Action Company which served the warrant of arrest against Zulfiki Bin Hir a.k.a. Marawan and Basit Usman, “when they encountered the enemy force numbering more or less 700.”
“Although outnumbered, the SAF troopers held their ground, fought up to their last breath and accomplished their mission. His exceptional acts of bravery in utter disregard of his personal safety and selfless devotion to duty clearly manifest commitment to serve the people worthy of emulation by fellow policemen and a source of pride for the Philippine National Police.”
It was signed by Deputy Director General Marcelo Garbo Jr., chief of the PNP Directorial Staff.
The widow said she was frustrated when President Aquino wasn’t present for the arrival honors at Villamor Airbase “but on the second day, in fairness they really took time during the necrological service. He went to each one and listened to each of the family’s sentiments until late evening,” she said.
Christine said the government was doing as much as they can to help the grieving families of fallen SAF troopers.
“I’m trying not to cry in front of all of you but when I’m alone, that’s the problem,” she told reporters, “but thank you, all the people who gave their prayers and sympathy.”
“We are so proud of them,” she said of her husband and the other SAF troopers.
“We should be and we should never lose hope, because this is an honorable job.”
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