Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Nicolas Torre III has clarified that his attendance at a Liberal Party (LP) event is only about supporting anti-corruption calls, which the said political group is espousing.
Torre, in an ambush interview before the start of LP’s ‘Kung Walang Korap, Walang Mahirap’ fellowship event on Friday, said that he was invited by a friend from Masbate whom he helped during the recent typhoon season to attend the program.
However, the ex-PNP head noted that as an active police officer, he cannot join partisan political groups.
‘First of all, I cannot be a member of any political party because I am an active police officer. So we’re clear on that. I was invited by friends [.] I was able to help them when cyclones struck Masbate, their barangay was one of the hard-hit areas,’ he said.
‘So we still have proceeds from our foundation, they staged a fund-raising event, I went to help them there in Masbate, and she invited me, she said ‘hey we have an event about having no poor Filipinos if there is no corruption. No poverty if there’s no corruption, an anti-corruption event, I said I will attend and watch,’ he added.
Torre stressed that the fight against corruption is not exclusive to a political group, but is something that all Filipinos must share.
‘I think the fight against corruption should transcend political lines, that fight should not be mixed with or defined by politics because every Filipino is affected. First of all, corruption is against the law [.] so whatever your color, whatever your belief is, we should have one goal,’ he noted.
Last August 26, documents signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin showed that Torre was relieved upon the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
‘You are hereby relieved as Chief, PNP, effective immediately,’ the document said. ‘For the continuous and efficient delivery of public services in the PNP, you are hereby directed to ensure proper turnover of all matters, documents, and information relative to the office.’
No reason was initially cited, but Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said in a press briefing on the same day that President Marcos ‘made the difficult but necessary decision to relieve [Torre] of his duties’, adding that the Chief Executive ‘saw it necessary that the institution of the PNP and the Napolcom (National Police Commission) be upheld as according to the spirit of the law as it was created.’
Torre recently clashed with both Napolcom and Remulla regarding the reassignments of the PNP’s officials. Last August 22, Torre said that the PNP will convene its Senior Officers’ Placement and Promotion Board (SOPPB) to discuss the Napolcom directive to reassign several third-level officers.
The Napolcom order directed the PNP to reassign 13 of its third-level officers, which would effectively reinstate Area Police Command (APC) Western Mindanao chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. as the PNP’s deputy chief for administration.
In response, the directors of the PNP’s 18 regional offices signed a manifesto in support of Torre and the chain of command, albeit without mentioning the Napolcom directive.
Despite his relief as PNP chief, Torre remains an active police officer, as there is no administrative case that would lead to his dismissal from service. Instead, Torre filed a leave of absence to await further developments that may arise from Marcos’ decision.
This is not the first time though, that Torre was seen with a personality involved with LP. His first public appearance after that August 26 relief was in an interview outside Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima’s office at the House of Representatives.
Torre even joked during the August 27 interview that he has found a new job – as a food delivery rider – while his status at the PNP hangs in limbo. According to the former top cop, his first task was to deliver a cake for de Lima, who was celebrating her birthday that day.
Regarding his plans for 2028 elections, Torre remained mum, promoting instead a ‘running’ event against bullies.
‘Not in 2028. But I will run. On November 16, Greenfield City, Sta. Rosa, run against bullying,’ he added.
During the LP program, party president Erin Tañada said that the fellowship is an ode to Aquino’s campaign slogan – hence the event’s theme, ‘Kung Walang Korap, Walang Mahirap (No poor Filipinos if there’s no corruption).’
Tañada said that the recent scandals on the infrastructure program, particularly flood control, only signal the need for liberals to show that the LP is ready for nation-building and the pursuit of transparency. According to Tañada, the fellowship, which coincides with the oath-taking of over 200 new LP members, is a chance to ‘renew’ the discipline that Aquino’s words and vision for governance instilled.