MANILA - Malacañang on Wednesday said the government has given extensive assistance to the families of Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) troopers who were killed in action in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on January 25, 2015.

In a statement, Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said all mandatory benefits have already been released by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the PNP as of April 2015.

"As directed by President Aquino who talked with the families in Camp Bagong Diwa and Camp Crame on two occasions last year, all concerned government agencies have acted on requests

from the families," Coloma said.

"All requests for housing assistance as well as for livelihood and related assistance have been fully complied with and implemented," he added.

Coloma belied reports that families of the fallen SAF commandos did not receive anything from the government.

He said the families of the late Police Senior Inspector Joey Gamutan and Police Officer 1 Oliebeth Viernes also received all the mandatory benefits.

"Moreover, members of their immediate family and other relatives have also been assisted with respect to their individual requests," he said.

The Palace said the Gamutan family received a total of P2.5 million while the Viernes family received a total of P1.3 million, which includes PNP Special Financial Assistance, commutation of

accumulated leave credits, PNP monthly and back-earned pensions, Napolcom burial and gratuity assistance, Napolcom monthly and

back-earned pensions, Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund Inc., and the financial assistance from the President's Social Fund amounting to P250,000 per family.