For the first time ever, a Philippine National Police chief had his tour of duty extended by the President for his "good handling" of internal security initiatives and the much-delayed barangay elections.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. extended the term of PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. until 31 March 2024, after he reached the 56-year-old compulsory retirement age for PNP personnel on 3 December 2023.
Executive Order 136, series of 1999, recognizes the power of the President to extend the service of presidential appointees beyond the compulsory retirement age for exemplary meritorious reasons.
Acorda was appointed the country's 29th top cop on 24 April 2023. Before he became PNP chief, he headed the PNP directorate for intelligence.
The PNP announced that the crime rate had dropped by eight percent for 2023, and that it had proven its capability to secure international events and the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
From 1 January to 19 December last year, the police force recorded 37,089 focus crime incidents, 8.22 percent lower than the 40,411 incidents logged in the same period in 2022.
Classified as focus crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, vehicle theft and motorcycle theft.