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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider The chief from the North: Who is Benjamin Acorda Jr?

The chief from the North: Who is Benjamin Acorda Jr?

Published Apr 24, 2023 12:39 am
From cops’ spy chief to chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP). President Marcos chose Police Maj. Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. as replacement of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr. who is set to retire on Monday, April 24. Acorda, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1991, is the 29th Chief PNP and Marcos’ second top cop.  Before his appointment as Chief PNP, Acorda headed the PNP Directorate for Intelligence.  So, who is Benjamin Acorda, Jr? His friends and men refer to him as a “humble public servant".  He was born and raised in Ilocos Norte to parents who, he said, instilled in him the values of patriotism and genuine public service, especially in helping the poor.  His maternal grandfather Capt.Felipe Casuga from La Union lost his life in a battle with the Japanese during the World War II. His father Benjamin Acorda, Sr. was an Air Force personnel who later became a lawyer, giving free legal assistance to the poor through the Citizen’s Legal Assistance Office, now known as the Public Attorney’s Office in La Union. His mother, Purificacion Casuga Acorda, worked as a nurse.  He took his primary education at the Gabaldon Elementary School’s Special Education Center in Laoag City. He later went to to the Bacarra National Comprehensive High School where he met his wife, Oliva Balasi Afaga. Career background  He used to head the police stations in Balungao, Sison, Bolinao and Sual Municipal Police Stations in Pangasinan before he was assigned as the director of the Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPO). As police provincial director, he led the Palawan PPO to become number one in operational accomplishment for Region 4B.  Acorda also spent time at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), the top investigating unit of the PNP where he served as head in Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) and head of the CIDG Region 4B. He also headed the CIDG Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Division which solved a number of major crimes in Metro Manila and other parts of the country. Acorda also served as the chief of the Operations and Plans’ Branch, Intelligence Officer and Assistant Provincial Director for Operations of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office in 2008 and CIDG Deputy Chief of Operations in 2010. He also was once Deputy Director for Operations and later Deputy Director for Administration of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). He was later named as regional director of Police Regional Office 10. He also used to be an intelligence and operations officer in three mobile force companies in Basilan; was once chief of the Production Branch of the PRO1 Regional Intelligence Division; chief of the Ilocos Norte Provincial Police Intelligence Branch; chief of the PRO4-B and later the NCRPO Regional Intelligence Divisions; and chief of the Counter-Intelligence and Security Division of the PNP-Directorate for Intelligence.  Acorda was also former chief of staff of the PNP Civil Security Group and briefly commanded the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group created to go after rogues in police uniform. He was also one of the officials who pioneered the creation of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group. As an officer of the unit, he was among those recognized by China and Taiwan for launching a major anti-cybercrime operation in the country which led to the arrest of hundreds of Chinese and Taiwanese nationals involved in cyber-crimes. Abroad, Acorda is a member of the United Nations Blue Helmets or police officers who have been deployed twice as members of the Philippine contingent in the UN peacekeeping operations in Haiti. He occupied a directorial position in the UN mission and supervised law enforcement officers from foreign countries like Jordan, China, Canada, Russia, Columbia, Nepal, Ghana and the United States. Education and training  Acorda underwent specialized trainings in the Philippines and abroad, including  Police Intelligence Officer Advance Course, a Logistics Management Course and Training Course on Drug Law Enforcement for the Philippines. He took his master’s degree at the Philippine Christian University.   
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