The officers and men of the Catanduanes Police Provincial Office last week joined the family of the late Chief Inspector Max Jim Ramirez Tria, the SAF 44’s “Last Man Standing,” on the 10th anniversary of the Mamasapano encounter on January 25, 2025.
Like other police camps, stations and offices, the Philippine flag at Camp Francisco Camacho was at half mast as PNP Provincial Director PCol. Edward D. Quijano led his officers and personnel in saluting the flag and recalling the heroism of the 44 PNP Special Action Force members slain during the encounter.
He said that Tria serves as an inspiration for the national police and the youth, especially his fellow Catandunganons.
PD Quijano and his officers then proceeded to Our Lady of Salvation Parish Church in Palta Big where they attended the Holy Mass together with the Tria family.
At the cemetery mausoleum, the family was joined by the provincial director in laying flowers at the foot of the granite-walled tomb of CInsp. Tria.
It may be recalled that a month before the 24th anniversary of the massacre, Tria and four other Bicolano war heroes and former police officers were honored by Malacanang by renaming PNP camps in Bicol renamed after them.
Included in twin proclamations issued on Dec. 20, 2023 by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was the renaming of the 504th Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 5 in Pilar, Sorsogon as Camp Police Max Jim Ramirez Tria.
“It is fitting to give honor to former servicemen who have shown patriotism, courage, and dedication in serving the country and the provinces to which they are assigned, and distinguished themselves in their service to the nation, by way of naming and renaming PNP facilities in their honor,” President Marcos said in the proclamation.
Tria was the only one among five sons to follow in his father Guillermo’s footsteps as a policeman.
The graduate of the Catanduanes State University (CatSU) Laboratory Schools entered the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) and attained top honors in sniper school, commando and scout ranger training, and in handling explosives and ordinance.
He was just 27 when he reportedly died as the “last man standing” during the Jan. 25, 2015 clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerillas after the SAF had killed a Malaysian terrorist and bombmaker in a special operation.