President Marcos Confirms New PNP Chief Selection
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has emphasized the importance of maintaining the gains made by the Philippine National Police’s anti-crime initiatives. Speaking at the close of the 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur on May 28, he confirmed that he has already chosen the country’s next top cop but chose not to reveal the name publicly.
“I would rather not use this forum to announce that. I think, I should talk to them first because the official decision has not been made,” the President said. “They should hear it. Whoever it is should hear about it first from me, not through the news.”
Marcos described the incoming PNP chief as a senior officer well-versed in the country’s law enforcement system. “He knows the situation. And I will actually tell them, carry on what you are doing. Because we have very good statistics concerning crime,” he added.
This announcement follows the extension of the current PNP chief’s term. Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil’s retirement was delayed by four months to ensure leadership stability during the critical election season.
Progress in Crime Reduction and Peace and Order
President Marcos highlighted a significant decline in crime rates nationwide, crediting the current PNP leadership for these improvements. “Metro Manila crime rate is down by 23 percent in six months. At a national level, from January 1 to May 16 last year, we had 15,156 index crimes. This year, same period, it’s down to 11,493. Lahat ‘yan bumaba—murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, rape, carnapping,” he reported.
Despite these positive trends, the President stressed the need for visible police presence in communities, recognizing that many Filipinos feel safer when law enforcement officers are seen patrolling their neighborhoods. “I perfectly understand that. Kahit papaano, may pulis diyan. May umiikot dito na pulis,” he said.
“Kaunting sigaw lang, tatakbo na ‘yan. That’s important, it’s important to people,” he continued, explaining the rationale behind the administration’s “Cops on the Beat” program. This initiative aims to increase foot patrols to boost public confidence and safety.
“So, despite the fact that maraming maganda namang result na statistic, na maganda naman ang nagiging trabaho ng kapulisan natin in terms of law enforcement, kailangan din, hindi sapat na marami tayong – nababawasan natin ‘yung krimen,” Marcos noted. “Kailangan nakikita yung pulis para feeling safe naman yung mga tao.”
Ambitious Goal for Emergency Response Time
The President reiterated his commitment to achieving a five-minute emergency response time, especially in urban centers. Efforts have been underway since last year to centralize emergency call systems, which currently operate separately across various provinces and municipalities.
“We are hoping that, at least in the urban areas, we are hoping [for] five minutes. That’s the aspiration,” Marcos stated. He added that having more officers on patrol with direct communication to dispatchers will help reach this goal.
However, he acknowledged challenges such as the high volume of prank calls, which reportedly make up about 70 percent of emergency hotline traffic. The administration is actively exploring solutions to minimize these disruptions and improve response efficiency.
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