THE Philippine National Police (PNP) named four police officials as potential successors to PNP Chief Rommel Marbil.
PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief Colonel Randulf Tuaño said the following are in line for the top cop position, based on seniority:
- Deputy Chief for Administration Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.
- Deputy Chief for Operations Police Lieutenant General Robert Rodriguez.
- Chief Directorial Staff Police Lieutenant General Edgar Alan Okubo.
Tuaño added that Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Director Major General Nicolas Torre III and National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Anthony Aberin are also candidates for the top cop post.
Tuaño said any one-star rank police general could be chosen. The National Police Commission may also submit a list of names to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Among the five candidates, Rodriguez is retiring the soonest, in July 2025.
Nartatez and Okubo are members of the Philippine Military Academy Tanglaw Diwa Class of 1992.
Aberin and Torre are members of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Tagapagpatupad Class of 1993.
Nartatez, set to retire in March 2027, previously served as director of Police Regional Office 4A (Calabarzon), NCRPO, Directorate for Comptrollership, and Directorate for Intelligence. He also served as Ilocos Norte provincial director.
Okubo also served as NCRPO chief and director of the Special Action Force (SAF), PNP-Civil Security Group, Intelligence Division, and Police Community Relations Group. He held various positions in the Central Visayas and Davao regional police offices.
Torre, who is set to retire in March 2026, served as director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and Davao Regional Police Office. He led the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. He also led the arrest warrant for former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Aberin, the current NCRPO director, also served as director of the Central Visayas Police Office, PNP Aviation Group, and Tawi-Tawi Police Provincial Office. He retires in August 2026.
Marbil, whose term extension expires on June 7, said he hopes his successor will continue police force reforms and improvements.
“Gusto namin continuity. It’s a continuation na ginagawa natin ng PNP. Kung ano ‘yung pinagsimulan ng mga dating commanders, kino-continue ko lang, inaayos naming. Yun ‘yung gusto natin. Dapat tuloy- tuloy ‘yung reform,” he said.
(We want continuity. It’s a continuation of what we’re doing in the PNP. I’m just continuing and fixing what the former commanders started. That’s what we want. The reform should continue.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)