BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negrense Col. Eliglen Villaflor is now the acting commander of the elite Philippine Army’s Special Forces Regiment (Airborne).
Villaflor, who is the deputy commander of SFRA, took over command of the elite unit on January 29, following the retirement of its commander, Brig. Gen. Lincoln Francisco Tagle, from the military service.
Military records show that Villaflor, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1992, started his military career with the Special Forces Regiment, having been assigned in Negros as commander of 32nd Special Force Company in Cadiz City.
Villaflor, of Bago City, Negros Occidental, was among the winners of Metrobank Foundation—Rotary Club Makati Metro Search for The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS) in 2016.
As former commander 4th Special Forces Villaflor led combat against Abu Sayyaf and other threat groups, while doing also community service efforts that benefitted thousands of residents during his two-year stint in war-torn Basilan.
As a United Nations peacekeeper, Villaflor successfully negotiated the release of civilians abducted by Syrian rebels in Golan Heights.
As the acting SFRA commander, Villaflor supervises six SF battalions deployed in conflict areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
He was also recognized by then Army chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana for the transformation of Army Personnel Management Center into a world-class office, as its head for almost two years.*
