PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday named Maj. Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil as the new PNP chief and directed him to ensure the police force becomes “agents of progressive transformation” by ensuring the safety and well-being of every community in the country and by championing a police force that is pro-God, pro-country, pro-people, and pro-environment.
Marbil’s appointment was announced during the retirement honors for erstwhile PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr., and change of command ceremonies at the PNP Grandstand in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Malacanang announced last Sunday that Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Baloloy Peralta will serve as the PNP officer-in-charge starting March 31.
Acorda was supposed to step down last December after turning 56, the mandatory retirement age for PNP personnel, but the President extended his term until March 31, 2024.
Before his appointment, Marbil, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1991, served as the head of the Directorate for Comptrollership and also previously served as the Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8), and Director of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG), among others.
Marcos expressed confidence that Marbil would build on the accomplishments and reforms that had been implemented under Acorda’s term and lead the police force to be “more efficient, transparent, and trustworthy in these challenging and promising times.”
“Police General Marbil, you have my full confidence and my full support, as you begin to champion a police that is pro-God, pro-country, pro-people, pro-environment. Let us work closely with you in addressing emerging threats, such as cybercrime, terrorism, and transnational crimes. We shall continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and give the finest service to our beloved citizens. Let us now ensure that the PNP will be agents of progressive transformation in the lives of our people by ensuring the safety and well-being of every community in the land,” Marcos said.
He also lauded the more than 230,000 men and women of the PNP and their families for their unwavering dedication to public service and for being instrumental to the success of the police force and urged them to remain vigilant amid all challenges and face the coming days with even greater fervor, determination, and optimism to achieve the goals and aspirations for the “Bagong Pilipinas.”
JOB WELL DONE!
The President lauded Acorda for doing a “job well done” as the 29th PNP chief and recognized his “Five-Focused Agenda” that guided the police force towards more honest law enforcement operations, enhanced information technology capabilities, stronger community relations, and increased the public’s trust and confidence in the police force.
The “Five-Focused Agenda” includes prioritizing aggressive and honest law enforcement operations that respect human rights and increase conviction rates; boosting personnel morale and welfare; enhancing integrity, which is the foundation of their profession; investing in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development; and community engagement.
Marcos also acknowledged the PNP’s efforts in combating various forms of crime which he said have yielded tangible results, exhibited the diligence of the officers and personnel, and showed the effectiveness of the programs of national police.
He said an OCTA survey last year showed the PNP earned a 76 percent trust rating in the second quarter of 2023 and a notable third-place ranking in performance among 25 government agencies in 2023.
“With all these, I believe, the best send-off gift that we can give Gen. Acorda is neither the usual memorabilia nor the typical testimonials. The best parting token that we can offer him is the pledge to exceed what he has done during his watch and to continue the good work that he has begun. I am sure nothing will make Gen. Benjie Acorda happier than seeing the organization he loves so much able to outdo all the previous achievements of the PNP. So, for all these and more, I congratulate and salute Gen. Acorda for a job well done,” he added.
MARBIL’S FOCUS
Days before Acorda reached the retirement age of 56 last December, reports spread on social media that Marbil would be the incoming PNP chief. This was dismissed by the PNP and, days later, Malacanang announced the extension of Acorda’s tour of duty.
Marbil bested several more senior officers to be the 30th PNP chief, including Peralta, PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Michael John Dubria and PNP chief directorial staff Lt. Gen. Jon Arnaldo.
Marbil, a classmate of Acorda at the Philippine Military Academy class of 1991, took over as PNP director for comptrollership in May last year.
Marbil is a holder of a master’s degree in public administration from Ateneo de Manila.
In his inaugural speech, Marbil vowed to focus on three areas with him at the helm of the police force, including the improvement of the PNP’s public image.
The first, he said, is on the “quality of leadership, knowledge, ability and professionalism within the ranks.”
Marbil said the second focus of his administration is “expanding our ability to uphold the law, maintain order, and fight local and transnational crimes in all its forms and manifestations.
“To this end, we commit to utilizing the best and innovative practices in law enforcement,” said Marbil.
Third but not least, Marbil said, is “We will strive to increase the level of trust that the people we protect have in us.
“We will focus on increased community satisfaction in our work as a key benchmark of our progress. We will work on enhanced partnerships with the local community because safety and order ultimately require our collaborative efforts,” said Marbil.
He said he is committed to ensuring that every PNP personnel, including future recruits, will be supported in terms of developing and honing their skills.
He said the PNP needs police officers who have “critical thinking and problem-solving skills” to address “unique situations” they may face and who can become “catalysts for the changes that we need in the organization, to become better or more efficient at we do.
“We need officers who can communicate with (the) public well, display empathy and conduct themselves at all times responsibly, ethically and morally,” said Marbil.
He said the PNP also needs personnel who recognize that it is not enough to act decisively, relentlessly and fast in addressing crimes.
“There must be accountability and transparency on our end,” added Marbil. “And most importantly, we will nurture police officers to whom a humane approach to law enforcement is a given. Investing in you is an investment in the future of the Philippine National Police.”
He said the PNP will also adopt reforms to “increase the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity” of regional police offices, and provincial, city and municipal police stations.
“There will be an emphasis on developing and improving competencies and compliance, optimization of resources, responsible cost allocations, elimination of redundancies, increased safety and well-being of police officers and adoption of systems and processes that will facilitate positive and sustainable changes,” said Marbil.
He said “leadership by example” will be the backbone of the PNP’s operational motto during his time as PNP chief as they continue their battle against illegal drugs, domestic crime and violence, organized crime, and human trafficking, among others.
“We shall place the utmost importance on police-community engagement, working together to reduce crime through education, community partnerships in policing, and the use of emerging technology and social media,” he said, adding this will be done in collaboration with other government agencies if necessary.
Marbil said the PNP recognizes that “effective law enforcement” nowadays requires competency and innovation in the use and application of technology.
“While I recognize that putting a comprehensive technology infrastructure in place is one of the major challenges for the PNP, I am confident that with careful management and selective priorities, we can achieve this goal in a timely fashion,” he said.
He said the PNP will prioritize the integration of the PNP Secured, Mobile, Artificial Intelligence-Driven and Real-Time or SMART policing program and Information Communications Technology Development Roadmap in PNP operations.
Marbil said they will recruit and train police officers and support staff with technical skills and specialized information technology skills as the PNP strives to become a skilled, stable and dependable force.
“This is our promise and commitment to the country as we undertake the internal and external changes necessary to improve our services to you,” said Marbil.
“Expect that your PNP will do its best to safeguard the community it serves because we understand how safety, peace, and order are intrinsically connected to economic growth and progress,” he added. — With Victor Reyes
