Nicolas Torre relieved as PNP chief
Police General Nicolas Torre III (Photo from PNP)
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has relieved Police General Nicolas Torre as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), a document signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin showed.
The relief was effective ‘immediately’, according to the relief papers dated August 25.
“You are hereby relieved as Chief, PNP effective immediately,” the document said.
A copy of the Malacañang order relieving General Nicolas Torre from his post as Philippine National Police chief, as shared by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin to Palace reporters on Tuesday.
No explanation and other details were issued regarding Torre’s relief.
Reporters also sought Torre’s comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.
Torre recently made rounds on social media for his charity boxing match against acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte, where he was declared the winner by default after Duterte failed to show up.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. himself joked about the matter during his State of the Nation Address, where he hailed the country’s boxing heroes before including Torre — calling him the new boxing champion.
READ: Marcos hails hero athletes, including ‘new boxing champ’ Torre
Last March 11, Torre — then a major general and director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group — served as ground commander of the police team that enforced an International Criminal Police Organization warrant to arrest former President Rodrigo Duterte in March.
Bersamin announced in May that Torre would be the next PNP chief.
In September 2024, as Davao police chief, Torre led the arrest of Duterte’s spiritual adviser, Apollo Quiboloy, who was hiding inside the Kingdom of Jesus Christ compound in Davao City.
Quiboloy faced charges of child abuse and trafficking. Torre, meanwhile, was hailed for using his engineering skills to search for the pastor inside his compound.
After Davao City officials withheld the floor plans of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ buildings, Torre and his team of engineers created their own sketches as a guide for their search for Quiboloy. /gsg
