Cops Shave Heads to Show Sympathy to PNP-SAF Fallen 44

(PNA) — At least 76 members of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), including six policewomen, Thursday shaved their heads to show sympathy for the 44 Philippine National Police–Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) troops killed in the Jan. 25 operation against a Malaysian terrorist in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Chief Inspector Wildemar Tiu, CCPO’s Fuente Police Station chief, encouraged policemen from other stations to do the same to show support for their comrades.

He said he received a message from their Philippine National Police Academy Class 2003-Sambigkis Class president Chief Inspector Dexter Versola, informing him of a simultaneous cutting of their hair across the country as a sign of sympathy for their fallen brethren.

The PNP-SAF was the mother unit of Tiu when he started his career as a policeman.

“It has been a part of the SAF trooper tradition that if the director of SAF cuts his hair down the line, we will also do the same. That’s how strong the solidarity, camaraderie and unity of PNP-SAF is,” he said.

When Tiu told his personnel at the station they volunteered to have their heads shaved as well.

“It’s hard to give up your hair. I did not require them. They volunteered to have their heads shaved,” he said.

Tiu said it has been seven years since he sported such a cut.

Tiu also said that shaving their heads is not just to show sympathy for the SAF members and their grieving widows and children but also to call for justice.

“This is to send a message that there should be justice given to them, to get all those people responsible for their death. They are there in order to save lives of the Filipino and international communities,” he said.

Now that bomb maker and high-profile terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan”, was confirmed dead, Tiu said the courageous act of the slain SAF members saved thousands of civilians.

“What they did was to risk their lives so the public can sleep peacefully,” he said. (PNA) FFC/EB