PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has extended the term of Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rommel Francisco D. Marbil by four months ahead of his compulsory retirement on Feb. 7, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).
Citing a Feb. 4 memo, addressed to Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla, the agency said the President approved the extension of Mr. Marbil’s term, starting Feb. 7, when he reaches the compulsory retirement age of 56.
“His tenure as police chief has been marked by initiatives in law enforcement modernization and crime prevention,” according to the PCO.
His term extension comes ahead of the campaign period for candidates taking part in the senatorial and party-list elections on Feb. 11.
The election period for the May 12 midterm polls officially started on Jan. 12 and is expected to end on June 11, the last day for the filing of Statements of Contributions and Expenditures.
In a separate statement, Mr. Marbil said the extension of his term reaffirms the President’s “trust and confidence” in his leadership.
“This extension allows me to focus and work harder on our preparations for the 2025 national and local elections, ensuring that we deliver peaceful, credible, fair, and honest elections,” Mr. Marbil was quoted as saying.
Mr. Marbil has held the police chief post since April last year, when he succeeded General Benjamin C. Acorda, Jr. to lead the agency.
He is the third police chief during the term of Mr. Marcos, who directed him to step up efforts against emerging threats, such as cyber- and transnational crimes, and terrorism.
Mr. Marbil, a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Sambisig Class of 1991, is also the 30th since the PNP’s creation in 1991.
Mr. Marbil earlier headed the PNP Directorate for Comptrollership and served as the regional director of Police Regional Office 8 and as the director of the Highway Patrol Group. — John Victor D. Ordoñez