New PNP chief Acorda vows transparency to media

MANILA, Philippines – Newly appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. pledged to be transparent to the media as he highlighted the need to gain public trust. 

“I want to be open with you (media), transparent with you, to make sure that what the police is doing is being relayed in our community because I think that is the best way to get the trust and confidence of the people,” Acorda said during his first press conference on Tuesday, April 25, at Camp Crame.

He also encouraged the media to engage the public to report crimes.

“I would solicit your (media) support to engage our community – magsumbong. I’ve been the Regional Director of the PRO (Police Regional Office) 10. I think the media there was very instrumental in convincing the community na magsumbong sa ating kapulisan,” he said. (I would solicit your support to engage our community—to report. I’ve been the Regional Director of the PRO 10. I think the media there was very instrumental in convincing the community to report to police officials.)

As an institution, however, the PNP has yet to prove its transparency.

For example, the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office is mandated to “undertake information campaigns to project government findings and measures implemented in relation to human rights violations of PNP personnel.”

But as of 2020, the PNP unit has not been publishing data and information regarding alleged human rights violations committed by cops.

During the press conference on Tuesday, Acorda also bannered the message of unity among police officials, echoing the campaign slogan of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“Serbisyong nagkakaisa. Nagkakaisa, internally, meaning sa ating mga kapulisan. I want that we are united in promoting the respect na makuha sa ating community na habang suot ang ating uniporme ay dapat igalang,” Acorda, Marcos’ second PNP chief said. (United service. United, internally, meaning among police officials. I want that we are united in promoting and gaining respect from the public, while we wear our uniforms we should be respected.) – with reports from Jairo Bolledo/Rappler.com