MANILA – Former Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) chief Brigadier Gen. Felipe Natividad who led the province’s police force during the incursion of the Abu Sayyaf into the province in 2017 has been installed as the director of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) elite Special Action Force.

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar during the turnover of command ceremony at the SAF headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City expressed hope that Natividad will continue to wage a relentless battle against terrorism, insurgency, and other threats.

“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,” Eleazar said in his speech.

Natividad replaced Maj. Gen. Bernabe Balba, who was designated as the new chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations-Visayas.

Natividad is known for his role in running after a small group of Abu Sayyaf Group members who landed in Bohol supposedly to conduct kidnapping and other terrorism activities during his term as the province’s police director.

Eleazar also thanked Balba for his contributions to improve the operational capability of SAF not only in the field of law enforcement, anti-insurgency, and anti-terrorism operations but also in disaster relief and response.

He also urged SAF troops to remain focused on its role of maintaining peace and order in the land, citing that their operational capability was further enhanced with the full support of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

He said the President’s support was instrumental in the purchase of brand new helicopters for the police force and the 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,” Eleazar said. (PNA)

*minor editing was done by the Chronicle to localize the news.