SAF44, soldiers' sacrifices will never be forgotten — PBBM

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assured the families of the 44 fallen Special Action Force troopers and six soldiers that the government will not forget their sacrifices.

"We are already sorting out all the benefits due to our SAF44 to ensure their families do not overlook the sacrifice of our brave policemen who perished in such an operation," Marcos Jr. said in Filipino in his Vlog No. 255 posted on his YouTube channel on Sunday.

The 44 were among the SAF commandos tasked with undertaking Oplan Exodus in a remote village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last 25 January 2015.

Marcos Jr. likewise emphasized the government's commitment to recognizing the heroism of the six soldiers who died fighting the Dawlah Islamiyah group in Lanao del Norte last week.

"We will not forget the greatness and heroism of the six soldiers who died in the encounter," Marcos Jr. said. "We will continue their fight, and we will pursue the enemies of peace," he added.

The President pledged to fulfill the government's responsibility towards the bereaved families, assuring that he will make the government's love and recognition for their sacrifice felt by their bereaved families.

"We salute the sacrifice of our six soldiers who gave their lives in an encounter to protect us from terrorists," Marcos Jr. said.

He vowed to use the nation's grief as a source of strength in the fight against terrorism.

"The sorrow we feel for the sacrifice of our six brave soldiers will be used as our strength to redouble our efforts to combat the terrorists who sow danger among our people," Marcos Jr. said.

Six individuals lost their lives, and four soldiers from the Army's 44th Infantry Battalion sustained injuries during a clash with the DI group in Barangay Ramain on 18 February. The DI group is recognized for its presence in communities along the border of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

As the Army's 1st Infantry Division arranged full military honors for the six fallen soldiers, the military escalated its pursuit operations against the DI group.