FORMER CALABARZON regional police director Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad yesterday assumed the post as the new commander of the Special Action Force, an elite force of the PNP.
Natividad, a member of the Philippine Military Academy class of 1990, took over his new post in rites presided over by PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City.
Natividad replaced Maj. Gen. Bernabe Balba, who was earlier designated as the director of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Visayas.
Natividad relinquished his post as CALABARZON regional police director to former Southern Police District director Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz last Monday.
Before assuming command as CALABARZON regional police director in November last year, Natividad served as the senior police assistant to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año. Before that, he was the director of the Bohol provincial police office.
Eleazar expressed confidence that Natividad would lead the SAF with professionalism and high integrity in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, crime groups and 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,” Eleazar said, adding “the Special Action Force is the representation of what is the best of the Philippine National Police.”
Eleazar also thanked Balba for further improving the operational capability of SAF in law enforcement operations and in disaster relief and response.
