THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) welcomes the appointment of Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), effective April 1, 2024.

CHR looks forward to the new leadership of Marbil, who expressed his commitment to improve the current progress of the agency in reducing the crime rate in the Philippines through innovative practices in the law enforcement.

"We commend the PNP's plans to progress toward the use of emerging technologies to further widen its reach across communities and develop their capability to address new forms of criminality. Emerging threats, such as cybercrime and transnational crimes, highlight the evolving landscape of security concerns in today's society," it said.

On his approach to address the drug problem, CHR welcomes the continued shift in rhetoric away from the language of "war," which has been associated with widespread human rights abuses in the past.

"We express optimism on his emphasis of accountability and transparency in all police operations. The Commission expects that protection of human rights, including the right to life, due process, and access to justice for all individuals, will be manifested in the PNP's approach to addressing drug issues," CHR said.

"As the new PNP leadership endeavors to continue efforts to create safer and more secure communities, we remain willing and ready to work collaboratively with the law enforcement agency, particularly in ensuring human rights-based policing," it added.