SAF 44 legacy shapes PNP leadership – Nartatez

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January 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The legacy of the 44 slain members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (SAF) has reshaped the organization’s command leadership and operational discipline, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said on Sunday.

Nartatez said the Mamasapano incident underscored the life-and-death impact of leadership decisions.

“The SAF 44 taught us, painfully, that even the most elite troopers are vulnerable when coordination, communication and command unity fail,” Nartatez said. “From that moment on, we pushed for a command culture that values shared responsibility, clearer chains of command and real-time coordination.”

Forty-four SAF troopers were killed in a clash with armed groups in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015 during an operation to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and bomb-making suspect Abdul Basit Usman.

Nartatez on Sunday led the National Day of Remembrance for the SAF 44 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

A separate wreath-laying ceremony was held at Camp Crame in Quezon City, attended by the families of the fallen troopers and senior PNP officials.