Marbil gets 4-month extension

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has welcomed the four-month extension of its current chief, Rommel Francisco Marbil, which will take effect on his retirement day, 7 February 2025.

Malacañang announced earlier Thursday that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted Marbil the extension, as outlined in a memorandum dated 4 February 2025, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin. The extension means Marbil will continue leading the PNP until June 2025, overseeing the completion of various “law enforcement modernization and crime prevention initiatives.”

In a text message to reporters, Marbil expressed gratitude for the trust and confidence from President Marcos. He emphasized that the extension would allow the PNP to further refine preparations for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

“I thank our President for trusting and having confidence in the PNP under my leadership. The four-month extension will help us refine and improve the preparations we’ve made for the election,” Marbil said.

The extension of Marbil’s term beyond the mandatory retirement age of 56 was approved to ensure the PNP’s leadership remains stable in the lead-up to the elections. The memorandum was addressed to Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla for immediate action.

Marbil, a member of the Philippine Military Academy’s Sambisig Class of 1991, was appointed PNP chief on 1 April 2024, and was originally set to retire on 7 February 2025.

Before leading the PNP, Marbil served as head of the Directorate for Comptrollership, overseeing the police organization’s financial management from 2 May 2023, to 1 April 2024. He also held key posts such as the regional director of Eastern Visayas police (2022–2023) and the director of the Highway Patrol Group (2021–2022).