Women joining the police force will no longer be stuck at desk jobs, and are now being trained to be “warriors”, especially in the Special Action Force, an elite unit of the Philippine National Police.

Police Director Catalino Cuy, SAF director, yesterday said he has authorized his field commanders to include female SAF commandos in combat operations, a pilot project of PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome.

The SAF has its own all-female commando unit. Like their male counterparts, they are now deployed in forward positions, especially in Mindanao.

Cuy said a female graduate of the PNPA Class 2011, who volunteered to join the SAF, even topped the recent six-month commando rigorous training, besting 21 of her male colleagues.

SAF troopers are being trained in basic airborne, urban counter-terrorism warfare and internal security operations. With times changing, Cuy said, they have modified the training of SAF troopers, by combining the skills of Army’s elite units, Scout Ranger and Special Forces, with the ability to organize people, and employ direct action, if necessary.

“We are trying to exert effort to further improve the capability of SAF troopers, including the equipment,” he added.

In some of the military exercises and war games of SAF units in Subic, Zambales, the all-female commandos matched the skills of their male colleagues, by topping exercises in gun handling, endurance run, land navigation and physical fitness tests.

Cuy said that in the coming years, police regional mobile group units may also allow female troopers to join their male counterparts in actual combat operations.

Cuy yesterday opened the 45-day Special Counter-Insurgency Operation Unit Training of 481 neophyte policemen and women at Camp Aniceto Lacson in Victorias City, before he started the field evaluation and validation of the 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion, which is vying for the national award as best RPSB unit in the country.

Of the 481 trainees, 92 are women, Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, 6th RPSB director, said.*GPB

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