The Philippine Embassy in the United Arab Emirates welcomed members of the Philippine National Police–Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) ahead of their participation in the 2026 UAE SWAT Challenge, set to take place in Dubai from Feb. 7 to 11.
Led by PLTCOL Ray V. Balcueva, the PNP-SAF contingent paid a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador to the UAE Alfonso A. Ver at the embassy in Abu Dhabi prior to the competition.
Ambassador Ver commended the team for representing the Philippines on an international stage, citing their discipline, teamwork, and commitment to service as key strengths expected to be demonstrated during the event.
The UAE SWAT Challenge, hosted annually by Dubai Police, is considered one of the world’s leading tactical law enforcement competitions. This year’s edition brings together 117 elite teams from 53 countries, testing participants across five high-intensity events designed to simulate complex real-world operations.
The Philippines has been a regular participant in the competition. In the 2025 edition, the PNP-SAF ranked 25th out of 103 teams.
Also present during the courtesy call were Deputy Head of Mission Arvic V. Arevalo and Vice Consul Kevin Mark R. Gomez, along with representatives from the Anti-Narcotics International Assistance Group Inc. (NARIAG) UAE.
The event is free and open to the public. Tickets can be booked online through Virgin Megastore: https://tickets.virginmegastore.me/ae/event/30870/sports/uae-swat-challenge.
