New PNP chief Acorda vows to continue cleansing of ranks

Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. vowed Monday to continue the cleansing of their ranks as he assumed his post as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“To my predecessor, Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr., thank you for the wisdom  and exceptional legacy  you have imparted in the organization,” Acorda said in his speech during the change of command ceremony in Camp Crame.

“Rest assured, Sir, that I will continue your advocacy in cleansing the PNP,” he added.

Acorda said that no police officer should be involved in using, pushing, or whatever means in the illegal drug trade and those who do will face charges and removal from service.

“You will be charged and removed from the service. This is my warning to each and everyone of you. Our fight will be holistic in prevention and aggressive in operations,” he said.

According to him, the PNP will be relentless in anti-criminality campaigns 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,” he said.

Acorda also vowed that he will welcome criticisms and will be transparent.

“To the media, our longtime partners, we welcome critics as our independent source of check and balance. We are allies in bringing out the truth. We need your support to inform the public of our endeavors for peace and order. We will be transparent,” he said.

He said the PNP under his leadership will follow the Marcos administration's call for unity and nation-building. “We shall move toward a unified PNP.”

The PNP will protect the delivery of basic services for disadvantaged Filipinos in hinterlands and urban poor areas, he added.

Acorda challenged PNP personnel “to always do the right thing. Let us hate crime and fight criminals.”

Acorda, who is the 29th PNP chief, replaced Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. who retired from the service on April 24.

The change of command ceremony was presided over by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

During the change of command ceremony, Acorda was also promoted to police general.

He is a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ‘Sambisig’ Class of 1991.

Among Acorda's specialized trainings include a Police Intelligence Officer Advance Course, a Logistics Management Course, and Training Course on Drug Law Enforcement for the Philippines.

As a commander, he headed the Balungao, Sison, Bolinao, and Sual Municipal Police Stations in Pangasinan and later, the Palawan Police Provincial Office from 2014 to 2016.

"As Palawan police chief, he turned the local police force to No. 1 in operational accomplishments from being No. 5 in the entire Mimaropa Region," Malacañang said.

Acorda also served as the Regional Director of the Police Regional Office 10 in Northern Mindanao. During his stint as regional director, he earned a high public trust rating and kept crime at a minimal level.

As an investigator, he was once chief of the Camanava Criminal Investigation and Detection Team of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group; was a former CIDG Region 4-B chief; and headed the CIDG Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Division which solved a number of major crimes in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

Acorda also used to be chief of the Operations and Plans' Branch, intelligence officer and assistant provincial director for Operations of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office in 2008 and CIDG deputy chief of operations in 2010. He also was once deputy director for operations and later deputy director for administration of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

The official was also former chief of staff of the PNP Civil Security Group and briefly commanded the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group created to go after rogues in police uniform.—AOL, GMA Integrated News