President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. swore in former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. as undersecretary of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) in Malacañang on Thursday.
The Palace on Wednesday announced that President Marcos has named the retired PNP official as the new executive director of the anti-crime organization.
Acorda replaces PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, who previously led the commission’s intensified campaign against Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) linked to human trafficking and other criminal activities.
A member of the Philippine Military Academy Sambisig Class of 1991, Acorda served as PNP chief from April 2023 to March 2024.
Before his stint as the country’s top police officer, he headed the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, where he oversaw key anti-crime and intelligence operations.
Created through Executive Order No. 295 in 2000, the PAOCC is mandated to coordinate intelligence, investigate syndicated crime groups, and pursue government officials implicated as protectors of criminal networks.
The change marks another key adjustment in the President’s continued overhaul of his administration’s key government officials.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos appoints ex-PNP chief Acorda as PAOCC head.”
