Torre not sacked for denying Remulla’s alleged gun purchase proposal —DILG

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) denied allegations that former top cop Police General Nicolas Torre III was removed from his post after he rejected a supposed gun purchase proposal of Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

“There are allegations that the recent reorganization at the Philippine National Police (PNP) was due to Gen. Nicolas Torre's refusal to carry out the supposed instructions of Secretary Jonvic Remulla to purchase firearms,” the DILG said.

“This claim is false,” the department said in a statement released on Thursday evening.

The DILG said Remulla indeed received an “unsolicited proposal” to purchase 80,000 firearms for the PNP. The DILG Secretary asked the then PNP chief to assess its operational necessity.

Remulla reminded Torre that this kind of purchase can only be done through congressional insertion as this was not included in the National Expenditure Program, according to the DILG.

However, the DILG pointed out Remulla never endorsed any congressional budget insertion.

“Since his assumption as SILG, Secretary Remulla has never facilitated nor endorsed any congressional budget insertion,” the DILG said.

During the PNP anniversary on August 12, the DILG said Torre told Remulla that he did not think the purchase of said firearms was necessary. 

“The Secretary concurred with Gen. Torre's assessment. There was no directive to purchase,” the DILG said.

Amid the allegations, the department expressed commitment to transparency, accountability, and safety of communities.

Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Tuesday took over the PNP as acting chief after the sudden relief of Torre from the top post, which was announced the same day. 

That's nearly three months after Torre took over the police organization.

Remulla on Tuesday said one of the reasons Torre was relieved as PNP chief was his defiance to an order of the National Police Commission on the reassignment of key officials.

Remulla, however, also said that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is considering Torre for a government position. —VAL, GMA Integrated News