The Special Action Force (SAF) is the elite unit of the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
founded by
Fidel V. Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos (; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military officer to reached ...
, later the
twelfth president of the Philippines
The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-ch ...
.
History

Formed on May 12, 1983, by the now-defunct
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary (PC; , ''HPP''; ) was a gendarmerie-type military police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Police. It was created by the Insular Government, American occupat ...
(PC) as the Philippine Constabulary Special Action Force
(PCSAF) as per PC General Orders 323.
The creation of the SAF was inspired by and "formed along the lines of" the British Army's
Special Air Service
The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...
(SAS).
Fidel Ramos
Fidel Valdez Ramos (; March 18, 1928 – July 31, 2022), popularly known as FVR, was a Filipino general and politician who served as the 12th president of the Philippines from 1992 to 1998. He was the only career military officer to reached ...
and
Renato de Villa
Renato "Rene" Salud de Villa (born July 20, 1935) is a Filipino former police and military officer and government official. He served as Chief of Philippine Constabulary, Director-General of the Integrated National Police, and Chief of Staff o ...
were the founders of the unit. De Villa directed Rosendo Ferrer and Avelino "Sonny" Razon Jr. to organize a Special Action Force. After which, a training program called the PCSAF Ranger Course, was used to train the 1st generation of SAF troopers, which had a number of 149 troopers.
Out of them, 26 were commissioned officers with the others being enlisted personnel from a wide range of PC units such as the PC Brigade, the Long Range Patrol Battalion (LRP), the K-9 Support Company, PC Special Organized Group, the Light Reaction Unit (LRU) of
PC MetroCom, the PC Off-Shore Action Command (COSAC) and other PC Units.
Later on, they changed the name of the course to SAF Operations Course (SAFOC) then SAF Commando Course (SAFCC).
During the days of the
EDSA Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, were a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
in late February 1986, Ramos was involved in planning an operation called "Exercise ''Ligtas Isla''" ("Exercise Save Island") in case either
First Lady Imelda Marcos
Imelda Romualdez Marcos (; born Imelda Remedios Visitación Trinidad Romuáldez; July 2, 1929) is a Filipino politician who was First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power after her husband Ferdinand ...
or Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General
Fabián Ver would take over as ruler from President Marcos, who had already been ill by that time.
When
Corazon Aquino
María Corazón "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines and the first woman president in the country, from Presidency of Corazon ...
acceded to the presidency, the SAF were mandated to be on standby due to the
several coup attempts by rogue Philippine soldiers throughout her rule.
On January 29, 1991, President Aquino signed Republic Act 6975 into law, which changed the name of the SAF from PCSAF to PNPSAF as a part of transition of government.
In 2008, it was reported that the SAF moved to a permanent camp at Barangay Pinugay,
Baras,
Rizal under Proclamation No. 1355 passed in August 2007.
For the first time, SAF troopers were involved in the
Balikatan exercises in 2009 since American and Filipino troops are usually involved.
On July 20, 2016, SAF created NBP Facility Security Provisional Battalion led by PSUPT Ledon Monte to take over from the
Bureau of Corrections the duties to man the
New Bilibid Prison
The New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, is the main insular prison designed to house the prison population of the Philippines. It is maintained by the Bureau of Corrections (Philippines), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) under ...
, particularly in the Maximum Security Camp where big-time drug lords and hardened prisoners are held.
The PNP has approved the creation of five more Special Action Battalions to the SAF in 2017.
In 2019, the SAF witnessed the beefing-up of its Air Unit with the operationalization of 9 new helicopters (7 Airbus H125 and 2 Robinson R44 Raven II units). On June 29, 2021, the Air Unit was transferred to the Office of the Chief, PNP as prescribed under NAPOLCOM Resolution Number 2021-0720. This was in line in the PNP's 2020 Annual Report in an effort to ensure the force's organizational effectiveness, air support and mobility.
Known operations
* February 1986:
People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, were a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
.
* 1986 to 1989 - SAF Conducted anti-coup operations against anti-government rebels from the Philippine military.
[ ]
* Late 1980s to 1990s - First deployed to battle against
NPA and
MNLF rebels.
* May 1987 - Then PCSAF under MAJOR Avelino Razon, Jr was deployed in
Ifugao
Ifugao, officially the Province of Ifugao (; ), is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Lagawe and it borders Benguet to the west, Mountain Province to the north, Isabela t ...
to conduct operations against the CPP-NPA.
* 1987 - Two Special Action Companies (SACs) were deployed in Negros Island and conducted successful operations against the NPAs. It caused the surrender of considerable numbers of the NPA operating in
Negros Oriental. The 2SAC and 4SAC were led by 1LT Noli Talino (2SAC) and (4SAC)1LT Josephus Angan and 1LT Ramón Mateo Dizon, who later became Brigadier General and PSG Commander under President
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Aquino III (; born Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines ...
.
* 1992 - Newly created 4SAB under PSUPT Abraham Garcillano and PCINSP Emmanuel Caeg was placed attached with the Western Police District to assist in neutralizing criminal elements involved in robbery/hold-up of banks and pawnshops, including armored cars. 1SAC led by PINSP Adriático del Camat and PINSP Bernard Banac was deployed in
Ermita, Manila
Ermita is a district in central Manila, Philippines. It is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of Manila, bearing the seat of city government and a large portion of the area's e ...
, while the 2SAC led by PINSP Constancio Item and PINSP Bernardo Rosario was deployed in
Sampaloc, Manila
Sampaloc is a district of Manila, Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of is ...
.
* 1993 - The 3SAB was deployed in
Basilan
Basilan, officially the Province of Basilan (; ; ; ), is an island province of the Philippines located primarily in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. Basilan Island is the largest and northernmost of the major islands of the Sulu Archipelago ...
to go after notorious bandits and KFR groups.
* March 15, 1993 - A team of SAF Troopers led by PINSP Clemente Vargas and PINSP Bernardo Rosario discovered NPA killing fields in Brgy Kalabigan Hills, Marag Valley,
Luna
Luna commonly refers to:
* Earth's Moon, named "Luna" in Latin, Spanish and other languages
* Luna (goddess)
In Sabine and ancient Roman religion and myth, Luna is the divine embodiment of the Moon (Latin ''Lūna'' ). She is often presented as t ...
,
Kalinga-Apayao.
* 1994 - The 1SAB led by PCINSO Ager Ontog, 2SAB led by PCINSP Jaime Calungsod and Special Operations Battalion (SOB) Deep Reconnaissance Company (DEER) led by PINSP Bernard Banac and PINSP Rodolfo Castil, Jr replaced the 3SAB under PCINSP Bai Layon in Basilan with primary function to restore peace and order and conduct operation against the
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; , ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, was a Jihadist militant and piracy, pirate group that followed the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It was based in and around Jolo and B ...
.
* 1994 - PSUPT Samson Tucay, Commander, SOB sent the Light Armor Coy "Bubuyog" led by PINSP Bernardo Rosario and PINSP Ramil Montilla to Zamboanga and Basilan to provide fire support to SAF units under the Mindanao Police Task Force (MPTF).
* 1994 - PINSP Joseph Plaza and PINSP Parena were among those who headed the SAF Training Group in Basilan to conduct SAFOC.
* October 1994 - Two teams from 2SAB led by PINSP César Pasiwen and PINSP Cris Mendoza neutralized Commander "Arabain" in Tuburan, Basilan.
* October 1994 - The 1SAB was deployed in Region 12 with its Battalion HQ in
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat (; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سولتان كودرت; ; Ilocano language, Ilocano: ''Probinsia ti Sultan Ku ...
.
* October 1994 - The 1SAC, 1SAB under PINSP Willy Cayat backed by 2SAC under PINSO Tellio Ngis-o successfully took over the Malitubog-Maridagao Irrigation project from a Muslim rebel group led by Commander "Damskie". PINSP Victor Arévalo and other PNCOs were wounded during the operation. A bomb technician expert who was recovering/disarming anti-personnel mines was killed by a sniper fire.
* December 1994 - The 2SAC led by PINSP Ngis-o with Junior Officers PInsp Argel Ancheta, PInsp Jech Abecia, PInsp Chito Bersaluna, PInsp Kirby John Kraft, PInsp Ricardo Javier, PInsp Jacob Macabali, PInsp James Cristobal Coy Ex-O and PInsp Joel Limson, Chief of Police of Carmen MPS in Cotabato with support from 3SAC, successfully liberated the barangays of Tupig and Tonganon,
Carmen, North Cotabato from the control of the Muslim rebel group that occupied the villages after they were displaced from Malitubog-Maridagao Dam. PO2s Ycoy and Pellobello who were part of the Blocking Force were killed in the said operations. The 2SAC, 1SAB was awarded as Best Operating Company by the Regional Police Office 12.
* June 1995 - Composite personnel from 1SAB, 2SAB, 3SAB,4SAB, SOB DEER COY led by PINSP Bernard Banac and PINSP Rodolfo Castil, Jr and SOB "Bubuyog" LAC, led by PINSP Bernardo Rosario and PINSP Ramil Montilla were deployed to
Negros Island
Negros (, , ) is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . The coastal zone of the southern part of Negros is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral T ...
as primary component of Negros Island Police Task Force.
* September 1996 - The 3SAB under PCINSP Román Félix was deployed in SBMA-Bataan area to conduct clearing operations as part of security preparation for APEC. 31SAC was attached to 24th IB, Philippine Army under Major Emmanuel Bautista to conduct joint combat raids in the towns of
Balanga and
Orion, Bataan and nearby areas. It was transferred to
Mauban, Quezon
Mauban, officially the Municipality of Mauban (), is a municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 71,081 people.
Mauban is southeast of Manila and north of Lucena, the provincial ...
to support the local police.
* March 1995 - The RECON COY under PSINSP Ronald Santos was deployed to
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( ; ; ; ), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Palayan, while Cabanatuan, its former capital, is the largest Local gove ...
for election duty and was responsible for many accomplishments including the arrest of Mayor Joson and his 13 bodyguards, who were responsible for the killing of his political rival Mayor Pérez.
* 1997 - The RECON COY under PSINSP Willy Cayat was deployed to
Davao del Norte
Davao del Norte (; ), officially the Province of Davao del Norte (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital and largest city is Tagum. The province also includes Sam ...
at
Mount Diwalwal to restore peace and order and conduct police operation against use of explosive components by miners in their operation of mining gold in Mount Diwalwal.
* 1997 to 2000 - The 1SAB under PSUPT
Benjamin Magalong
Benjamin "Benjie" Bañez Magalong (born December 15, 1960) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer serving as the Mayor of Baguio, mayor of Baguio since 2019. Before entering politics, he served in the Philippine Constabulary and Phi ...
figured in numerous special operations such as arrests and raids on high-profile lawless elements and hostage rescue operations in cooperation with Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF). Its Counter-Terrorist Unit also figured in series of raids against NPA that resulted in the neutralization of some of NPA leaders.
* August 4, 2000 two teams of SAF LRU of PAOCTF Luzon led by PSINSP Edgar Alan Okubo and PSINSP Félix Servita, Jr engaged eight fully armed robbers of the Danny Flores Gang after a hot pursuit operation in Alabang,
Muntinlupa
Muntinlupa (), officially the City of Muntinlupa (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population o ...
resulting in the killing of four suspects and arrest of four others and the recovery of six high powered long firearms and five handguns. One SAF trooper was KIA.
* July 27, 2003 - SAF
EOD experts were deployed to Makati during the
Oakwood Mutiny.
* August 25, 2003 - SAF units were deployed in
Makati
Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
after heavily armed bank robbers attacked the headquarters of
Citibank
Citibank, N.A. ("N. A." stands for "National bank (United States), National Association"; stylized as citibank) is the primary U.S. banking subsidiary of Citigroup, a financial services multinational corporation, multinational corporation. Ci ...
Philippines.
* September 23, 2003 - A joint raid by the SAF, CIDG, Intelligence Group (IG), Traffic Management Group, Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), Army Intelligence and Security Group (AISG) and Marines assaulted Palar Village in Taguig, netting a bank robbery gang made up of ex-Armed Forces soldiers believed to have been responsible for the earlier Citibank Philippines robbery.
* September 28, 2003 - SAF provided Quick Reaction Forces for protection of
US President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
during his state visit to the country.
* October 2, 2003 - SAF arrested
Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist
Taofek Refke.
* March 10, 2004 - SAF teams engaged NPA guerrillas in a gunfight alongside soldiers of the Army's 24th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Caarosipan, Barangay Apóstol,
San Felipe, Zambales
San Felipe, officially the Municipality of San Felipe (ilocano language, Ilocano: ''Ili ti San Felipe'', Filipino language, Filipino: ''Bayan ng San Felipe''), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, provinc ...
. Eight NPA guerrillas were confirmed killed. A SAF officer was KIA, while three were WIA.
* April 28, 2004 - Arrest of
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; , ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, was a Jihadist militant and piracy, pirate group that followed the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It was based in and around Jolo and B ...
terrorists in the Muslim community in
Culiat,
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read and pronounced in Filipino language, Filipino as Kyusi), is the richest and List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 c ...
.
* March 18, 2004 - The SAF Commando Cl-27 composed the 24SAC, 2SAB who were deployed to
North Cotabato
Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Kidapawan, the ...
(Buliok Complex) as requested by Governor Emmanuel Pinol to serve as a peace negotiator between the government and the MILF rebels. They also served as security during the 2004 presidential election in the province.
* May 31, 2004 - SAF protected ballot boxes used in the May 10
general election
A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...
.
* June 11, 2004 - SAF teams were deployed in a resettlement area in
Taguig
Taguig (), officially the City of Taguig (), is the List of cities in the Philippines, fifth-most populous city in the Philippines situated on the eastern shores of Metro Manila, the national capital region. It is a center for culture, finance ...
, after reports of snipers were sent to the PNP.
* June 20, 2004 - A SAF officer was killed when SAF and the Zambales Police Provincial Mobile Group engaged the
NPA in a firefight in
Zambales
Zambales, officially the Province of Zambales (; ; ; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon Regions of the Philippines, region. Its capital is Iba, Zambales, Iba, which is located in t ...
.
* July 17, 2004 - A group of phone hackers, consisting of Filipino and foreign nationals, were arrested in a raid conducted by the SAF.
* July 28, 2004 - The SAF provided security for former
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; , ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, was a Jihadist militant and piracy, pirate group that followed the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It was based in and around Jolo and B ...
hostage
Gracia Burnham who testified against said terrorist group in a local courthouse.
* September 27, 2004 - SAF teams were deployed in the
Cordillera
A cordillera is a chain or network of mountain ranges, such as those in the west coast of the Americas. The term is borrowed from Spanish, where the word comes from , a diminutive of ('rope').
The term is most commonly used in physical geogra ...
to disarm various Partisan Armed Group (PAG) gunmen in the employ of several local prominent politicians.
* January 30, 2005 - SAF arrested various members of a kidnap-for-ransom gang in
Batangas City.
* February 10, 2005 - SAF arrested members of a bank robbery gang during a raid in the
City of San Fernando,
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga (; ; ), is a province in Central Luzon in the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac to the north, Nueva Ecija to the northeast, Bulacan to the east, ...
.
* March 15, 2005 - SAF and NCRPO SWAT teams led by PSSUPT
Benjamin Magalong
Benjamin "Benjie" Bañez Magalong (born December 15, 1960) is a Filipino politician and retired police officer serving as the Mayor of Baguio, mayor of Baguio since 2019. Before entering politics, he served in the Philippine Constabulary and Phi ...
raided the Metro Manila Rehabilitation Center of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City after it was captured by Abu Sayyaf inmates. Among those killed were Alhamser Limbong (alias "Commander Kosovo"), Ghalib Andang (alias "Commander Robot"), Nadzmi Sabdullah (alias "Commander Global"), and Sadit Abdul Ganit Husim (alias "Commander Lando"). For a short time, various human rights group in the Philippines and abroad have accused the SAF of
police brutality
Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
and were convinced that the PNP really wanted to kill them at the start of the crisis. PNP officials have denied all charges. Various foreign groups abroad (possibly other special ops units) have praised the SAF for bringing a quick end to the 30-hour crisis. This was one of the SAF's publicly known operations to be on the headlines on newspapers and on TV news reports worldwide, especially on CNN. PO1 Abel Arreola was the only SAF operative killed during the attack.
* February 17, 2006 - SAF units were deployed to
Southern Leyte
Southern Leyte (; Kabalian: ''Habagatan nga Leyte''; ; ), officially the Province of Southern Leyte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region. Its capital and largest city is Maasin. Southern Leyte comprised the ...
as part of a humanitarian contingent of the PNP.
* February 21, 2006 - SAF units patrolled the grounds of
Malacañan Palace after an explosion within the palace complex. The explosive was said to have been placed in a waste bin.
* February 24, 2006 - SAF units were on red alert after a coup plot was uncovered.
* October 9, 2006 - SAF units were deployed to
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental (; ), officially the Province of Negros Occidental (; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Negros, Negros Island. Its capital is the city of Bacolod, of which it is geographically s ...
after
New People's Army
The New People's Army (; abbreviated NPA or BHB) is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It acts as the CPP's principal organization, aiming to consolidate political power from what it sees as the present "bourgeo ...
rebels attacked the
Silay City airport.
* January 11 to 14, 2007 - SAF units were deployed to
Mandaue
Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 people.
...
in
Metro Cebu
Metropolitan Cebu, or simply Metro Cebu (; ), is the main urban center of the province of Cebu in the Philippines. Metro Cebu is located along the central eastern portion of the island including the nearby island of Mactan. It accounts for 19. ...
to protect heads of state and government gathered for the 12th
ASEAN Summit.
* October 26, 2007 - PSINSP Fermar Ordiz, a PNP SAF operative, was shot and killed by robbers in Cubao, Quezon City during a shootout despite wearing a
kevlar
Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s as ...
vest.
* November 29, 2007 - SAF helped in preventing the
Manila Peninsula rebellion by arresting the renegade soldiers including Army BGEN
Danilo Lim.
* June 13, 2007 - PO2 Marlon Buslig, a PNP SAF operative, was KIA by
Abu Sayyaf
Abu Sayyaf (; , ASG), officially known by the Islamic State as the Islamic State – East Asia Province, was a Jihadist militant and piracy, pirate group that followed the Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam. It was based in and around Jolo and B ...
members in
Indanan, Sulu during a combat operation despite wearing a kevlar vest.
* December 5, 2008 - The
Parañaque shootout between the SAF and the
Waray-Waray gangs which led to death of 16 people, including one SAF member named PO1 Nixon Vinasoy. It was the
most controversial mission conducted by the SAF due to the death of two civilians, including a 7-year-old girl, caused by the SAF team.
* September 26 to 30, 2009 - Heroic Acts of Special Action Force 61ST Calamity Assistance Rescue Recovery Relief and Emergency (CARE) Company of Force Support Battalion (FSB) under PCINSP Byron Tabernilla. On that day, the SAF Troopers of CARE manifested through actions their battle cry and mission statement "MAGHANAP-SUMAGIP-MAGLIGTAS". A huge number of people hit by
Typhoon Ketsana
Typhoon Ketsana, known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ondoy, was the second-most devastating tropical cyclone of the 2009 Pacific typhoon season, causing United States dollar, $1.15 billion in damages and 665 fatalities, only behind Typho ...
, locally named as "Ondoy", were rescued around heaviy flooded parts of
Metropolitan Manila
Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...
such as Marikina. Among those rescued in Provident Village in Marikina were actress
Cristine Reyes
Ara Cristine Pascual Klenk (born February 5, 1989) is a Filipino actress. She has been dubbed as the "Ultimate Star" by the local media for her acting prowess and popularity. Her films have collectively earned ₱1.05 billion, making her one o ...
and actor
Richard Gutiérrez.
* April 20, 2010 - Four SAF Troopers were KIA during an ambush by the
NPA in
Antipolo
Antipolo, officially the City of Antipolo (), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Rizal (province), Rizal, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, ...
,
Rizal while five other troopers were WIA.
* May 27, 2013 - Eight SAF Troopers were killed while seven other troopers were wounded during an ambush perpetrated by the NPA in
Allacapan,
Cagayan
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan (; ; ; isnag language, Isnag: ''Provinsia nga Cagayan''; ivatan language, Ivatan: ''Provinsiya nu Cagayan''; ; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Cag ...
.
* September 9 to 28, 2013 -
Zamboanga Siege - the 55SAC of 5SAB and 84SAC of RDB were among the first government troops to respond to the attack made by elements of a rogue MNLF faction. They prevented attackers from going further to the heart of the city. Three SAF Troopers, PO2 Christopher Hernáez of 55SAC and PO2s Lawin Salisa and Enrique Afable of 84SAC, were KIA. A total of 25 government troopers were KIA while 183 members of said faction were KIA and 292 others were captured.
* January 25, 2015 -
44 members of the PNP-Special Action Force were killed by an estimated 800 members of Local Terrorist Groups, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Moro Islamic Liberation Front and local criminal groups in
Mamasapano,
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Magindanaw''; Iranun: ''Perobinsia a Magindanao''; ) was a province of the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). From 2014 to 2022, its provincial capital ...
, while 12 other troopers were WIA. Among the 44 who were KIA, 35 were from 55SAC, 5SAB while nine from 84SAC, RDB. It was believed that an estimate of more than 200 LTGs were KIA due to the close proximity of the firefight although only 17 was reported. All 44 SAF Troopers were posthumously awarded the
Medal of Valor.
* May 23, 2017 to October 23, 2017 - a Composite SAF Contingent was sent to augment
government forces to clear Marawi City of an estimated 1,000 members of
ISIS
Isis was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kingdom () as one of the main characters of the Osiris myth, in which she resurrects her sla ...
-inspired and combined Maute and Abu Sayyaf Local Terrorist Groups (LTGs). For five months, the contingent directly confronted the enemy at the Main Battle Area where they fought side by side with the elite forces of the AFP in neutralizing said LTGs. They provided Assault Teams, Sniper Teams, Weapons Teams, LAC Teams and Seaborne Teams. The contingent was led by PSUPT Rex Arvin Malimban. It was composed of personnel mostly from the CTU Companies of the line battalions such as 83SAC (CRG) and 84SAC (Seaborne) of the RDB led by PSUPT Lambert Suerte, 103SAC and 15SAC of 1SAB led by PSUPT Jack Angog, 25SAC of 2SAB led by PSUPT Mario Mayames, Jr, composite company mostly from 55SAC of 5SAB led by PSUPT Ledon Monte. 4SAB and SAFTB (Commando Cl-77 as test mission) also sent personnel. Four were KIA: PO3 Alexis Mangaldan (5SAB), PO1 Moises Kimayong (SAFTB), PO2 Alexis Laurente (1SAB) and PO2 Daniel Tegwa (SAFTB). For their gallantry in action, the four were awarded the
Order of Lapu-Lapu's Kalasag Medal.
* October - November 2020 New Bilibid Prison riots - The SAF, together with the Philippine
SWAT
A SWAT (''Special Weapons and Tactics'') team is a generic term for a police tactical unit within the United States, though the term has also been used by other nations.
SWAT units are generally trained, equipped, and deployed to res ...
and the Bureau of Corrections, were instrumental in quelling a prison riot ignited by the infamous
Sigue Sigue Sputnik gang.
Structure
As of 2021, the SAF's command structure consists of the following:
* Headquarters
* Force Support Battalion
* Rapid Deployment Battalion
* Twelve Special Action Force Battalions: 1SAB, 2SAB, 3SAB, 4SAB, 5SAB, 6SAB, 7SAB, 9SAB, 10SAB, 11SAB, 12SAB, 14SAB
* Training Branch
Leadership and Command Group
*
Commander-in-Chief:
Pres. Bongbong Marcos
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. (, , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials BBM or PBBM, is a Filipino politician who has served as the 17th president of the Philippines since 2022. He is the second child ...
*
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government
The secretary of the interior and local government (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kalihim ng Interyor at Pamahalaang Lokal'') is the member of the Cabinet of the Philippines, Cabinet in charge of the Department of the Interior and Local Governm ...
(SILG) &
NAPOLCOM Chairman: Atty.
Benjamin DC Abalos Jr.
**Undersecretary for Peace and Order, DILG: Usec. Oscar F. Valenzuela
*
Chief, PNP (C, PNP): PGEN Benjamin C. Acorda Jr.
*Director of the Special Action Force (Dir., SAF): PLTGEN Bernard M. Banac
*Deputy Director of the Special Action Force (Dep. Dir., SAF): PCOL Manuel J. Abrugena (Acting)
*Chief of Staff of the Special Action Force (CS, SAF): PCOL Rex Arvin T. Malimban
Training
Prior to recruitment, prospective SAF candidates must be recruited into the PNP with the rank of Police Officer 1 (PO1), now Patrolman as of 2022.
This would be followed by a six-month basic public safety course at the National Police Training Institute with field training done in the streets of the Philippines.
The latter requirement was dropped as of 2018 because of concerns that new officers having field training would be exposed to bad and corrupt practices.
SAF candidates then need to attend the SAF
Commando
A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines.
Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...
Course (or equivalent training such as Scout Ranger Course, Force Reconnaissance Course, Special Forces Operations Course)
to be allowed to wear the SAF Beret.
The course includes modules in internal security operations, waterborne rescue, police intervention, barangay module and operational testing, followed by a field training exercise.
After completing the commando course, SAF operators are allowed to take specialized training such as
explosives and ordnance disposal (EOD),
Basic Airborne Course (BAC),
Urban Counter Revolutionary Warfare Course (SURESHOCK),
K-9 Training Course, Sniper Course, SCUBA-BUSROC (Basic Underwater Search and Rescue Operations Course),
the maritime tactical operation course and the SAF Seaborne Warfare Course (SSWC).
For MTOC, SAF operators must have SURESHOCK and Airborne qualifications before being considered.
Training occurs at the unit's headquarters in
Cuartel de Santo Domingo,
Santa Rosa,
Laguna.
The SAF has conducted cross training with the 1st Special Forces Group.
Training was also provided from the
Hostage Rescue Team (HRT),
Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG),
RAID
RAID (; redundant array of inexpensive disks or redundant array of independent disks) is a data storage virtualization technology that combines multiple physical Computer data storage, data storage components into one or more logical units for th ...
and
Yamam.
Functions
As designated by the
Philippine National Police
The Philippine National Police (PNP; ) is the national police force of the Philippines. Its national headquarters is located at Camp Crame in Bagong Lipunan ng Crame, Quezon City. Currently, it has approximately 228,000 personnel to police a pop ...
, the missions of the Special Action Force are the following:
* To develop, organise and train organic personnel in the furtherance of the assigned mission.
* To conduct Counter-Terrorist operation in urban and rural areas.
* To conduct commando type unconventional warfare (CUW) against lawless elements over extended periods of time with minimal direction and control.
* To conduct search and rescue operations anywhere in the country during calamities and catastrophes.
* To conduct civil disturbance management (CDM) operations and address the requirements of stability and security operations in times of civil disobedience on a national scale.
* To operate as a rapid deployment force ready and capable to strike anytime and anywhere in the country in support of other units and other agencies as higher headquarters may direct.
* To perform other tasks as the Chief PNP may direct.
* To maintain a reasonable degree of law and order in the national highways and major thoroughfares
Equipment
Pistols
Submachine guns
Shotguns
Rifles and carbines
Designated marksman and sniper rifles
Machine guns
Grenade launchers and assault weapons
Mortars
Armored vehicles
Commanders
The list are the directors who had commanded the SAF.
References
External links
* {{commonscat-inline
Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) official website(Current Site)
Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) official website(Last Archive on December 20, 2021)
Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) official website(Last Archive on July 16, 2011)
Philippine National Police
Special forces of the Philippines
Non-military counterterrorist organizations
Non-military counterinsurgency organizations