Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has offered former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III a government position related to the fight against corruption.
Remulla revealed the information in an exclusive report by GMA News on Wednesday, a day after Mr. Marcos relieved Torre from his post as PNP chief and appointed Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. as acting PNP chief.
‘‘It has something to do with anti-corruption. So, I’m telling you… the President still really believes in General Torre,†Remulla said.’’ It still enough that he be offered a position to fight corruption and to investigate corruption.’’
Torre has yet to comment on the offer or confirm if he will accept the post should it be given. Remulla clarified that the president and Torre have no personal differences, noting that their divergence centered on the PNP chief’s authority to appoint or remove senior police officials, which ran contrary to the views of the National Police Commission (Napolcom). This difference, he said, led to Torre’s removal.
‘‘I think that shows you that a difference of opinion does not necessarily mean an end of a friendship, an end of a working relationship. It was just that,’’ Remulla said.
Several posts are being floated for Torre, including Director of the National Bureau of Investigation, a position in the Department of Public Works and Highways, or as an Anti-Corruption Czar.
Meanwhile, Napolcom on Thursday said it is set to issue a resolution affirming the appointment of Nartatez as acting PNP chief. Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Atty. Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the resolution will ensure Nartatez’s authority is fully recognized.
‘‘We will issue a resolution affirming that he is the acting chief PNP. That is important because if you are acting, you have full powers you can exercise discretion,’’ Calinisan said when asked about Torre’s four-star rank.
An order from Malacañang, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and dated August 25, relieved Torre of his post but retained his four-star rank, as he remains in active police service. Nartatez, a three-star general, will have to wait for Torre to avail of early retirement to assume the full title of PNP chief since only one police general can hold a four-star rank at a time.
‘‘They are good soldiers. They will work. That’s the order’ you have to be PNP chief, it’s just a job’ if the work needs to be done, you need to do the work,’’Calinisan added.
He also welcomed Nartatez’s commitment to comply with Napolcom Resolution 2025-0531, noting that the commission will not micromanage the PNP but will maintain open communication. ‘‘Let’s just do it in the right process. Napolcom has a job, the PNP has a job too. We just need to coexist peacefully. The PNP and Napolcom will only support each other,’’ he said.
Nartatez vowed to implement Napolcom’s order recalling Torre’s controversial revamp, which had reassigned several senior officers. ‘‘I will tackle that with Napolcom and for sure we will implement it. Napolcom is the watchdog of the PNP, the repository of our policies and circulars,’’ Nartatez said.
President Marcos appointed Torre as PNP chief on June 2, 2025, succeeding Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil. Torre held the post for 85 days.
He was instrumental in the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy last year and in serving an arrest warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte in March this year. Both Torre and Nartatez are set for mandatory retirement in March 2027.
