• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) activated its Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) on May 28, designating Negrense Brig. Gen. Eliglen Villaflor as its acting commander.
The transition to JSOC, from Joint Special Operations Group (JSOG), was described by the AFP as a significant organizational restructuring aimed at enhancing the military’s operational capabilities and ensuring a more unified and agile defense posture.
Villaflor, who hails from Bago City, Negros Occidental, previously led the JSOG and served as acting commander of the Special Forces Regiment, among other key positions in the AFP.
He used to be assigned also in Negros Occidental as a Special Forces company commander.
During the simultaneous activities held at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, assisted by AFP chief of staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., presided over the deactivation of the AFP Special Operations Command (SOCOM) and also the reactivation of the Philippine Army‘s SOCOM.
The move restores operational control of the Army’s elite units under the SOCOM while the JSOC institutionalizes jointness, ensuring the AFP remains capable across all domains — land, sea, air, cyber, and space, a press statement from the AFP said.
Maj. Gen. Ferdinand Napuli was designated as acting commander of the SOCOM, Philippine Army.
Brawner said the “transformation is operationally driven, doctrinally sound, and aligned with our vision of a credible and unified armed forces”.
“It empowers us not just to face today’s challenges, but to stay ahead of tomorrow’s possibilities,” he added.
He also said the reorganization underscores the AFP’s commitment to continuous improvement and its dedication to safeguarding national security through a more integrated and effective special operations framework. | GB
