PNP Chief Police Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar urged the Special Action Force (SAF) to continuously protect its good image during the turnover of command for the police’s elite unit.
PGen. Eleazar installed Police Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad as the SAF’s new director. who will take over the SAF from outgoing SAF Director Police Maj. Gen. Bernabe Balba, during the turnover ceremony held at the SAF headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Maj. Gen. Balba was designated as the new director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Visayas.
In his message, PGen. Eleazar expressed confidence that Natividad would lead the elite force with professionalism and high integrity in battling terrorism, insurgency, crime groups, and other high-value target criminals.
“I am confident that under your leadership, the SAF will maintain its earned reputation of being the most dependable and highly-specialized force that aims to ensure peace and order across the country,” PGen. Eleazar said.
PBGen. Natividad, then the Police Provincial Director of Bohol, is known for his role in running after a small group of Abu Sayyaf Group which landed in Bohol to conduct kidnapping and other terrorism activities.
PGen. Eleazar also expressed gratitude to PMGen. Balba for his contributions to improve the operational capability of the SAF not only in the field of law enforcement, anti-insurgency and anti-terrorism operations but also in disaster relief and response.
“Pinatunayan ni MGen. Balba na hindi puro tapang lang ang SAF kundi may puso at malasakit sa kapwa Pilipino noong panahon na binaha at nangailangan ng tulong ang ilan sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.
PGen. Eleazar also urged each and every member of the SAF to remain focused on its role of maintaining peace and order in the land, citing that its operational capability was further enhanced with the full support of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who was instrumental in the purchase of brand-new helicopters and recruitment of more SAF commandos to form new battalions.
“The Special Action Force is the representation of what is the best of the Philippine National Police,” said PGen. Eleazar.
“Pagdating sa tapang, pagdating sa disiplina at pagdating sa integridad, walang duda na kailanman ay hindi kayo maku-kuwestiyon dito. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit mataas ang respeto sa SAF kahit kapwa ninyo pulis, at ang SAF ang aking inspirasyon sa aking pangarap na kayang gawin ito sa buong kapulisan,” he added.