SAF widow tells Roxas: I want to be a cop

WITH HONORS. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas together with local government and police officials visit the wake of PO1 Windel Candona at the St. Peter’s Memorial Chapels in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The widow of the Cebuano member of the ill-fated PNP Special Action Force (SAF) team that were routed in a clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao said she wanted to become a police officer herself so she could keep tabs of developments onhow  the government is handling the  investigation on the Jan. 25 incident.

“Gusto gyud nako mo sulod ug pagka pulis kay dili ko ganahan nga katulgan lang nag nahitabo sa akong bana. Gusto ko akoy mahimong mata niya. Gusto ko makahibalo unsay dagan sa iyang kaso karon aron makakuha gyud mi sa among hustisya nga gipangayo (I want to join the police force because I don’t want the death of my husband to be forgotten. I want to be the first to know on what’s happening on the case to make sure we’ll get the justice we desire),” Michelle Candano, wife of PO2 Windel Candano, one of the 44 PNP-SAF troopers who were killed in the clash.

Mrs Candano made the statement as she spoke  to Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II who arrived in Cebu yesterday to visit the wake of the two slain SAF troopers. Roxas, together with several ranking police officials, including former Cebu Provincial Police Office chief, Director Carmelo Valmoria, who had commanded the SAF before his appointment as chief of the NCR Police Office.

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, the newly-named commander of the PNP-SAF, was also with the DILG chief’s party.

Mrs. Candano told Roxas that she wants to join the police force not just for herself, but in behalf of the  families of the slain police commandos.

Roxas and his party arrived in Cebu onboard a chartered flight at 9 a.m. He was met by Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and former Cebu City mayor and congressman Tomas Osmena and local police officials led by Chief Supt. Prudencio Banas.

Roxas went straight to the St. Peter’s Memorial Chapel along the New Imus Road in Cebu City where Candano’s remains were taken for public viewing. He later went to  Consolacion town where the wake for PO1 Romeo Cempron, the other SAF fatality from Cebu, was being held

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and officials met PO1 Romeo Cempron’s wife in Consolacion town. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Roxas wore a black armband to signify his sympathy for the death of the police commandos.

Roxas said the government will be extending a college scholarship to PO2 Candano’s son, Sian Gabriel.

Candano will be laid to rest at the South Memorial Garden in Talisay City today. A requiem Mass will be held at the St. Ignatius Chapel in Camp Sergio Osmeña.

It was former mayor Osmeña who told Roxas about Mrs. Candano’s desire to join the police force. Roxas then directed Bañas to help her on her application.

“Meron namang opening sa regional office in Cebu para malapit sa kanyang tinitirhan so ma accommodate siya (There’s an opening in the PNP regional office in Cebu that’s near where she lives so she can be accommodated),” Roxas later told reporters in an interview.

Supt. Renato Dugan, PRO-7 spokesperson said, Mrs. Candano will have to  comply with eligibility and educational attainment requirements before she can be considered a PNP recruit.

During his visit to Cempron’s wake, Roxas told the policeman’s widow, Christine, that the nation is now safer thanks to the heroism of her husband.

“I told them that there are thousands, millions of Filipinos who are safer now because the bombs being made by Marwan were stopped. I know it’s hard for the families pero isa itong pwedeng pang hawakan na namatay silang bayani (but this is one thing that they can hold on to, that their loved ones died as heroes),” Roxas told reporters in a brief interview after his Consolacion visit.

During his visits to the  bereaved families, Roxas said he’s been trying to explain  the value of their mission in Maguindanao.

“Ginagawa niya ang kanyang trabaho para mas maging ligtas ang buong bansa natin. Ang mga bomba ni Marwan ay hindi na mangyayari (He’s did his job so the country will be safer. The bombs of Marwan won’t happen),” he told Dr. Cempron.

When asked about the creation of a board of inquiry to investigate the slaughter of the 44 SAF commandos, Roxas said, “siguraduhin natin na gagawin nila ang trabaho para malaman natin kung ano talaga iyon (we’ll make sure that they will do their jobs so we know what really happened).”

Osmeña lauded Roxas for visiting the families of the slain Cebuano SAF members.

“It’s good that he goes down and listens to families and their special requests.  It’s something good especially for the policemen who are demoralized. It’s good for a leader that he goes down to his people,” he said./With a report from Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag