MANILA, Philippines - After a demonstration on Thursday by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF), it was the Philippine Navy's turn to show off its skills in responding to hostage situations and terrorist threats.

The Navy Special Operations Group (NAVSOG), which can be tapped in case of security crisis situations, showed off their skills on Friday to President Benigno Aquino III, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and Armed Forces chief of staff Ricardo David in a demonstration at Sangley Point in Cavite.

The NAVSOG used 2 speedboats to raid a marine vessel that was allegedly taken over by terrorists. The elite unit also conducted an inland demonstration raid on an enemy-infested beach by detonating explosives near the bandits' lair while the President and other officials watched.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said the unit's expertise is sea hostage situations and sea transport raids on terrorist lairs.

After the demonstration, the President conducted an inspection of troops and their equipment before inviting the Navy officers and sailors to a boodle fight for lunch.

In an interview, Aquino said the inspection of special units of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces is meant to check out their capabilities, strengths and weaknesses. He said soldiers and policemen should be given the necessary equipment to fight the enemy.

Aquino took a helicopter to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija to attend another capability demonstration of the Light Reaction Company of the Philippine Army.

On Thursday, Aquino also inspected the PNP Special Action Force in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig where they conducted a simulation of a bus hostage-taking similar to the incident at the Quirino Grandstand last August 23.

The President earlier said the government will be forming an elite force, similar to the British Army's Special Air Service (SAS) unit, that would be equipped to handle high-profile crises, including hostage-taking incidents.

“We will copy to a degree the formation of that national unit while the PNP and the AFP are fully integrated. They will be somewhere between 200 and 400 capable of responding anywhere in the country, given any threat be it air, sea or land,” the President said.