Puno Extolls SAF Other Police Heroes

August 18, 2009

Secretary of Interior and Local Government Ronnie Puno has extolled the enormous sacrifices and dedication to service   of the members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) even as he paid tribute to the heroism of the SAF members and all other PNP members who have died in line of duty.

Puno, who chairs the National Police Commission (Napolcom), raised the two themes of heroism and dedication to duty during the recent Memorial Day of the SAF, which was held at the SAF headquarters at Camp Diwa in Taguig City. More than 200 SAF troopers and widows of SAF officers killed in line of duty attended the Memorial Day rites.
 
The SAF is an elite PNP unit, created by a general order on May 12, 1983 by then-Philippine Constabulary Chief Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos and the then-PC operations officer, Col. Renato de Villa.  

It is now a brigade-size mobile force and its tasks include commando-type, unconventional warfare
 
From just 149 members when it was formed in 1983, SAF is now a 3,005-strong force, with only two non-uniformed personnel.

“When you go home, tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow we gave our today,” said Puno, quoting the epitaph on the Kohima memorial, which honored the Allied troops killed in action against Japanese forces in Burma.
 
The SAF forces laid their lives “for our tomorrow,“ said Puno, adding that  it is heartbreaking to see the families left behind by the SAF heroes who made enormous sacrifices for the country.
 
Puno said it is incumbent upon the living, those left behind by the SAF heroes, to help attain the goals that the SAF forces gave their lives for.
 
Puno said that he has paid special attention to the SAF since his assumption of the DILG’s top post.
 
“The SAF has always lived up to its promise as the vanguard of our people in defense of freedom, in defense of our democracy, in defense of our Constitution and in defense of peace and order,” said Puno.