THE Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) will have an additional of 5,000 elite personnel amid the government’s intensified campaign against insurgency and terrorism.

PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa said they have already organized five battalions to augment the SAF personnel, currently at 3,500. President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the recruitment of another five battalions. Each battalion consists of 500 personnel.

“Aside from the five battalions na pinapa-organize sa atin ni Presidente they are now, yung recruitment is patapos na, nakukumpleto na ‘yung five battalions and kagabi naman sinabihan naman ako nya (Duterte) na you form another five battalions so magdagdag ng five battalions na naman,” he said.

Dela Rosa said the augmentation of SAF - whose main mandate is to address terrorism, internal security and insurgency - is intended for the government’s all out war against the New People's Army (NPA), armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

In November, Duterte ordered the termination of the peace talks with the communists, citing the continued NPA attacks on government troops despite the ongoing peace negotiations.

He then tagged the NPA rebels as terrorists and ordered the government forces to intensify the campaign against them. The Department of Justice has formally asked the court to declare the CPP and NPA as terrorists. (SunStar Philippines)