160-man elite police unit deployed to Lanao Sur for peacekeeping

PARANG: The Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM) has deployed four companies of the Special Action Force (SAF) to help maintain law and order in Lanao del Sur.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, BARMM police director, led the send-off ceremony for the 160 SAF troopers at Camp Brigadier General Salipada K. Pendatun here on Monday.

‘There are gaps in terms of security in Lanao del Sur that is why we need to fill in,’ Nobleza said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Nobleza said the SAF troopers, consisting of the 41st, 43rd, 44th, and 45th Special Action Companies, will be sent to the towns of Malabang, Masiu, Marantao, and Marawi City.

‘With the presence of SAF, the security in Lanao del Sur will improve. When the security improves, there will be economic activities and the community will also improve,’ he said.

Nobleza expressed confidence that threat groups operating in Lanao del Sur would “realize life is better when peace and security situations are stable and th
at life is productive and meaningful if they abandon violent extremism.”

Moreover, he also expressed hope that the Dec. 3, 2023 bombing of the Mindanao State University (MSU) – Marawi gym that claimed four lives and hurt over 50 others “would never happen again.”

The 45th SAF Company will be stationed inside MSU.

Source: Philippines News Agency