SILG on Torre relief: Marcos chose institution over person

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. chose the institution over the person when he decided to remove Police General Nicolas Torre III as chief of the Philippine National Police over the latter's differences with the National Police Commission, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said on Wednesday.

According to Mariz Umali's exclusive report on "24 Oras," Remulla said he and Torre had a difference of opinion over the lack of approval by the NAPOLCOM of the assignments of top officials in the organization.

Remulla, the ex officio chairman of the NAPOLCOM as Secretary of the Interior, said he recommended to Marcos that the administration proceed with correcting the mistake of the past administration regarding the assignments of top police officers.

"We're a nation of laws and not of men. So it cannot be one person who dominates everything. So in the end, there was no rancor. He just couldn't accept it," Remulla said.

"And the president said, 'Okay.' He asked me for my recommendation. And I said, 'We have to continue on this path of correcting all the errors of before'," he added.

In asserting its authority when it issued the resolution to reverse Torre's assignments of officers, the NAPOLCOM cited Section 6, Article XVI of the 1987 Constitution that provides that the State shall establish and maintain one police force, "to be administered and controlled by a national police commission."

"Ever since PRRD's time, when the NAPOLCOM was totally bypassed of all appointments, it became now the right rather than the privilege of every PNP chief," Remulla said.

"And the president really wanted to... institutionalize it back to how the law was intended. General Torre... didn't see it necessary. The president chose the institution over the person," he added.

The NAPOLCOM, in a resolution dated August 14Resolution 2025-0531, ordered the return of Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez as Deputy Chief for Administration and Police Lieutenant General Bernard Banac as commander of the Area Police Command (APC) Western Mindanao.

Both officers switched positions earlier this month.

The commission also ordered the PNP to immediately issue corresponding orders with regard to the movement of 11 more officials.

Was the President angered by Torre's decision to push through with his order of reassignment despite the NAPOLCOM's disapproval?

"Well, he was quizzical about it. And in their conversations, a lot of explanations were made. Then that's safe to say that the differences in opinions were there," Remulla said.

Remulla was interviewed on the sidelines of the eighth monthly meeting of the Consular Corps of the Philippines, which he attended as guest of honor and speaker.

The consular corps is the professional association of consular officers for the Philippines and represents the community of career consular officers and honorary consuls in the country.

It meets monthly to exchange views and ideas for a more cordial relationship and better understanding among the members. –NB, GMA Integrated News