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Former PNP chief Torre III offered new government post

(UPDATE) MALACAÑANG on Wednesday confirmed that a new government position was being offered to former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III.

“We cannot disclose the details about this yet, but it is confirmed that a position has been offered,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in Filipino in a press briefing.

Castro’s statement backed the earlier pronouncement of Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was still “very fond” of Torre, the first non-Philippine Military Academy graduate to hold the reins of the PNP.

The Palace removed Torre as head of the 228,000-strong police organization on Aug. 25, barely three months since his appointment in late June.

Remulla said Torre’s relief was to uphold the authority of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) over the PNP, “among other things.”

Before he was relieved, Torre disregarded a Napolcom order invalidating his order to reassign some PNP officials, including his successor, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

Nartatez, who was then deputy chief for administration, was transferred to the Area Police Command in Western Mindanao to take over Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac, who assumed the former’s old post.

Remulla said removing Torre was “difficult but necessary,” insisting that the police general is “a presidential appointee who serves at the pleasure of the president” and that Marcos “has made a decision to go in another direction.”