BY FELIPE CELINO
ROXAS City — The arrival of 79 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Capiz was delayed due to “unavoidable circumstances,” top-ranking police officials said.
Senior Supt. Domingo Cabillan, Capiz police director, told Panay News that the arrival was tentatively set today.
The SAF battalion, which came from Mindanao, will have a special operation in the province, said Cabillan.
They will augment the Regional Mobile Group battalion in Capiz, which the Police Regional Office 6 tasked to conduct checkpoints, he added.
Headed by Supt. Mario Baquilar Jr., the SAF will be based in Brgy. Manhoy, Dao town, the former headquarters of 311th PNP Mobile Group.
The SAF, the PNP’s elite force, is trained in several special military combat-related courses and is engaged in anti-guerrilla and anti-terrorist operations.
It also provides support to other police units and executes related peace-keeping functions.
Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas earlier asked Chief Supt. Cipriano Querol Jr., head of SAF, to deploy a battalion to Capiz.
He also asked Mayor Angel Alan Celino to provide brand new patrol cars to the city police to bolster their peace and order campaign.
Roxas also ordered the city police to intensify the campaign against loose firearms.
