Torre Out as PNP Chief After Brief Stint; Nartatez to Take Over

By Tracy Cabrera

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III has been relieved of his post less than three months after his appointment, Malacañang confirmed.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the order on August 25, with Torre officially stepping down the following day.

Torre, appointed in May, served one of the shortest terms as PNP chief, falling just three days short of completing three months in office. He was the fourth police chief under the Marcos administration and the first to come from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA).

Before becoming PNP chief, Torre headed the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and previously served as police director for Davao Region and Quezon City.

During his brief term, Torre reportedly clashed with the National Police Commission (Napolcom) over a series of police reassignments he initiated. Interior Secretary and Napolcom chairperson Jonvic Remulla confirmed that the commission had overturned some of Torre’s approved reassignments, including that of then-deputy chief for administration Lt. Gen. Melencio Nartatez Jr.

Nartatez, a member of the Philippine Military Academy, has now been recommended by Bersamin to succeed Torre as the new PNP chief.