President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. clarified Wednesday that the removal of Police General Nick Torre as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief was due to his refusal to comply with directives from the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), dismissing speculation that it was tied to alleged efforts to reinstate disqualified officers.
In a briefing in Cambodia, Mr. Marcos stated that Torre’s disagreement with NAPOLCOM had created an untenable situation within the chain of command.
“It was because he did not agree with the directives that were coming out of NAPOLCOM,” the chief executive said.
“There is a very clear chain of command, and the civilian authority is the overriding authority when it comes to the police,” he added.
The President explained that Torre’s stance ran counter to the PNP’s obligation to follow civilian authority. After multiple discussions, Torre maintained he could not carry out the directives.
“We had many discussions about it beforehand. He really said he could not do it. So, I said we cannot do anything about the situation,” Mr. Marcos noted.
In a separate interview, the President rejected rumors that Torre’s dismissal stemmed from attempts to reinstate police officials linked to past controversies, such as Gen. Rogelio Medina, who had been previously implicated in illegal drug cases.
“No, there was nothing like that,” he emphasized, saying it was never a matter of “loss of confidence.”
“It was simply because he and NAPOLCOM could not agree. He was a very good policeman, and I praised him even during the SONA. His specialty is police work, and we’ll find a way to still avail of his talents,” Mr. Marcos added.
