President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. as the new executive director of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC).

Acorda, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Sambisig Class of 1991, replaces Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, who served as PAOCC executive director since January 2023. Cruz will remain with the agency as an Undersecretary.

Before his stint as PNP chief from March 2023 to March 2024, Acorda served as director of the PNP’s Directorate for Intelligence. Cruz previously led the Philippine National Police Academy.

Created under Executive Order No. 295 in 2000, the PAOCC is tasked with ensuring an effective anti-crime drive and identifying and prosecuting criminal groups and their protectors in government.

During his time as executive director, Cruz notably led a massive crackdown on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations due to a spate of human trafficking and other criminal activities.