MANILA — Newly appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. vowed on Monday to continue the police force’s internal cleansing efforts in order to regain its dignity and the public’s trust.
Under his leadership, Acorda committed to ensuring a secure and crime-free community nationwide and overcoming PNP’s recent challenges.
“As the chief of the PNP together with the 228,000 police personnel, my uncompromising commitment to our fellow countrymen will be vanguards of peace to ensure a safe and economically stable community,” Acorda said in his speech during the change of command ceremony held in Camp Crame in Quezon City.
He also made his stand known on the PNP’s fight against illegal drugs, saying the police force will be “holistic” in crime prevention and “aggressive” in its operations.
“No police should be involved in pushing, using, or whatever means of illegal trade, or you will be charged and removed from service. Under my leadership, rewards, and punishment will be quick and decisive, it shall be fair and impartial, and due process shall be served,” Acorda stressed.
He also vowed to protect Filipinos in disadvantaged and poverty-stricken communities.
“We will protect the delivery of basic services to the disadvantaged Filipinos in the hinterlands and the urban poor,” Acorda said.
In doing this, the new PNP chief appealed to everyone to support their efforts to increase police visibility in line with its anti-criminality campaign.
“We shall be relentless in the anti-criminality campaign through intensive police visibility and sincere police presence. We will not rest until every Filipino feels safe and secure in their homes, streets, and places of work,” Acorda said.
Meanwhile, he challenged members of the PNP “to do the right thing, hate crime and fight criminals.”
Acorda is the PNP’s 29th police chief. He assumed the post following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s announcement on Monday morning.
Before this appointment, Acorda served as the chief of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence. He will replace the outgoing Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., who also retired on Monday.
Aside from heading the Directorate of Intelligence, Acoda was a former Civil Security Group chief of staff, National Capital Region Office (NCRPO) deputy director for administration, and Northern Mindanao Police Regional Office director, among others.
The 55-year-old PNP chief was born on Dec. 3, 1967, and started serving the police force after he graduated from the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sambisig,” Class of 1991.
Acorda will head the police force until his retirement in December, as the PNP’s mandatory retirement age is 56 years old. (Faith Argosino © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
