FEATURE: From the Cordilleran Mountains to the Nation’s Elite: Atok’s son Paul Lucas now leads the PNP Special Action Force

Atok, Benguet – A son of the Cordilleras is now at the helm of the Philippine National Police’s elite Special Action Force.

Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Tuhay Lucas formally assumed office on March 9, 2026, as the Acting Director of the SAF following a leadership reshuffle ordered by PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. Lucas succeeds Police Major General Mark D. Pespes, who retired after more than 30 years of service.

Hailing from Atok, Benguet, Lucas is a proud Igorot who began his academic journey at Saint Louis University in Baguio City before entering the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), graduating with the Class of 1995 with a degree in public safety.

Early in his career, Lucas served in the very unit he now leads—the SAF—making his appointment a full-circle moment for the Cordilleran officer. The SAF is the PNP’s premier strike unit, specially trained for counterterrorism, hostage rescue, and high-risk operations.

Over the years, Lucas held key leadership posts across the country, including Regional Director of Police Regional Office 4A (CALABARZON), Director of the PNP Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO), Deputy Regional Director for Administration of the NCRPO, and Provincial Director of Iloilo Police Provincial Office.

While in CALABARZON, he championed improved police visibility and response times, notably supporting the 3-minute response initiative of former PNP Chief Nicolas Torre III. His efforts were recognized in 2025, when he received the Gawad Dakilang Lakan Award as Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations, honoring his operational efficiency and strategic contributions to peace and order.

During his assumption of the post at the PNP Officers' Star Lounge in Camp Crame, Quezon City, Lucas pledged to continue strengthening the SAF’s discipline, capability, and unity—a promise rooted in the values of integrity and service that have defined his career.

From the mountains of Benguet to the nation’s elite police force, Brig. Gen. Lucas’s journey is a testament to dedication, resilience, and Cordillera pride, inspiring a new generation of police officers across the country.