ITINALAGA ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. nitong Lunes ng umaga si General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil bilang ika-30 hepe ng Philippine National Police (PNP) sa isang simpleng seremonya sa Camp Crame, kung saan nangako ang bagong PNP chief na sisiguraduhin niyang ligtas ang bawat Pilipino sa kalsada at loob ng kanilang bahay 24-oras.

“Dito sa ating Bagong Pilipinas, ang gusto ng pulis, ligtas ka,” sigaw ni Marbil, isang Manila boy na nagsikap para maging miyembro ng Philippine Military Academy “Sambisig” Class of 1991, matapos na palitan niya ang kanyang mistah, ang ngayon ay retiradong PNP chief, Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr.

Isinilang noong ika-7 ng Pebrero ng 1969, si Marbil ay nagsilbi bilang PNP Director for Comptrollership mula May 2, 2023, hanggang kahapon kung saan nakuha niya ang kanyang 4-stars bilang bagong top cop.

Bago pa rito, siya ay nakilala sa kanyang magandang nagawa bilang Police Regional Office 8 director sa Eastern Visayas, kung saan ganap niyang pinamunuan ang kanyang mga tauhan sa paglaban sa kriminalidad at insurhensiya mula Agosto 8, 2022, hanggang May 2, 2023.

Naging director din siya ng PNP Highway Patrol Group mula Nobyembre 19, 2021, hanggang Agosto 8, 2022.

Si Marbil ay humawak din ng iba-ibang mahahalagang posisyon sa PNP bago siya maging heneral. Naging Chief of Staff siya ng PNP Civil Security Group noon 2019; provincial director ng Agusan del Norte Police Provincial Office mula 2014 hanggang 2015; hepe ng Force Intelligence Division ng elite na PNP Special Action Force mula 2008 hanggang 2009; hepe ng Bacoor City Police Station mula 2004 hanggang 2006; at naging miyembro din ng PNP contingent sa United Nations peacekeeping force sa Libera mula 2006 hanggang 2007.

Nakuha niya ang kanyang Master in Public Administration sa Ateneo de Manila University. Si Marbil ay kasal kay former Miss Mary Rose Panopio-Marbil at sila ay may isang anak na babae, si Roby Marie.

Sa kanyang inaugural speech, lubos na pinasalamatan ni Marbil ang Dakilang Lumikha para sa “opportunity to serve my beloved country and fellow Filipinos.”

Kanya ring pinasalamatan si Pangulong Marcos “for the honor you bestowed upon me today and for entrusting me with this significant responsibility.”

“Thank you for your trust and confidence in me to lead the Philippine National Police and I assure you that all dedicated members of the PNP stand ready to work tirelessly with you to drive real change toward achieving the collective vision of a ‘Bagong Pilipinas’,” ani Marbil.

Kanya ring binati si Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos Jr. sa kanyang commitment at suporta sa Pambansang Pulisya at si Gen. Acorda sa kanyang “leadership, loyalty, dedication and service.”

Sa kanyang 33 taong pagseserbisyo sa military at pulisya, sinabi ni Marbil na napakalaki na ng naging pagbabago sa mundo.

“These present-day social and technological changes have an enormous influence and impact on policing. We are also seeing new forms of criminality evolve wherever there is an opportunity to exploit the weaknesses that advancement brings,” sinabi niya.

Sangayon sa bagong PNP chief, tinitiyak niya ang continuity ng mga magagandang programa ng kapulisan para ito ay mas maging epektibo sa paglaban sa kriminalidad, terorismo at iba pang masasamang loob at gawain.

“To build on the strides made so far, to ensure that there is both continuity and improvement – that the PNP remains effective at its job while evolving to become a modern Filipino police force for a modern Filipino society,” kanyang nilahad.

Ayon kay Marbil, ang nais niya sa PNP ay maging isang “modern Filipino Police Force for a modern Filipino society: Quality, Capability, Community Satisfaction.”

Para ito ay matupad, sinabi niya na dapat nilang mas paunlarin ang kanilang effectiveness bilang isang organisasyon at bilang individual law enforcers.

Dapat din aniya nilang tutukan ang “quality of leadership, knowledge, ability, and professionalism within the ranks.”

Pati na rin ang pagpapalaganap sa kanilang abilidad na ipatupad ang batas, panatilihin ang kaayusan at katahimikan sa bansa at sugpuin ang lahat ng local at transnational crimes, bilang pangalawang mithiin nito.

“To this end, we commit to utilizing the best and innovative practices in law enforcement,” sinabi ng bagong PNP chief.

Pangatlo niyang programa ay ang lubos pa nilang pagsisikap para mas lalong lumakas ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa PNP.

“We will focus on increased community satisfaction in our work as a key benchmark of our progress. We will work on enhanced partnerships with the local community because safety and order ultimately require our collaborative efforts,” ayon kay Marbil.

Kanya ding sinabi ang kanyang commitment sa lahat ng miyembro ng kapulisan kasama ang mga bagong recruits na suportahan ang lahat ng kanilang programa para mas lalong mapaunlad ang kanilang kakayahan sa pagsugpo ng krimen.

“More than ever, we need police officers who possess critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address the many unique situations that arise, and in particular, to become catalysts for the changes we need in the organization – to become better and more efficient at what we do. We need police officers who can communicate with the public well, display empathy and conduct themselves at all times responsibly, ethically, and morally,” sinabi niya.

“We need officers who recognize that it is simply not enough to act decisively, relentlessly, and fast in the war against crime but that there must also be accountability and transparency on our end. And most importantly, we will nurture police officers to whom a humane approach to law enforcement is a given. Investing in you is an investment in the future of the Philippine National Police,” ani Marbil.

May kasamang ulat nina Chona Yu at Zaida delos Reyes