New Philippine National Police Chief Named by President Marcos
President Marcos has appointed Police Major General Nicolas Torre III, who currently leads the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), as the new chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP). This decision marks a significant leadership change within the country’s police force.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin revealed on May 29 that Torre will replace outgoing PNP chief Police General Rommel Marbil. Torre is set to officially take command on June 2. Despite holding the rank of a two-star general, the President chose Torre for the position, a move Bersamin stressed should be respected.
“You know the appointment of elements or the officers of the PNP has to be kept confidential. We should respect that confidentiality but it’s the President’s discretion, which I consider to be absolute because he is actually the—you cannot consider that commander-in-chief kasi civilian ‘yan—pero more or less ganun,” Bersamin said during a Palace briefing.
Factors Behind the Appointment of the New Philippine National Police Chief
Bersamin hinted that Torre’s leadership in two high-profile police operations could have influenced the President’s decision. These operations led to the arrests of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy and former President Rodrigo Duterte.
“Hindi ko masasabi ‘yan dahil alam mo si Presidente (I cannot say that because you know the President) always demands performance. Kahit na ano yung pinagawa sa’yo (No matter the task), you must exhibit some high-degree level of performance. Maybe that is one, I am not going to discount that,” Bersamin explained. He also mentioned other qualities of Torre might have been compared to those of other candidates.
When asked if Torre’s appointment was a reward for these recent successes, Bersamin emphasized merit as the basis. “Alam mo lahat ng promotion reward ‘yan ‘no (You know, all promotions are considered a reward). But most promotions are given on merit. So, let us assume that this was given on merit because, you know, it was not an easy decision on the part of the President,” he added.
Expectations and Background of the New Philippine National Police Chief
The Executive Secretary expressed confidence that Torre’s appointment will not harm morale within the police force, describing officers as true professionals.
“Bakit naman? Palagay ko naman hindi, dahil professional yung hanay ng mga kapulisan (Why? I believe they won’t be demoralized because the entire police force is professional). They’re all very great professionals, they are very decorated individuals. So, they just follow what the commander-in-chief or what the President desires,” Bersamin said.
He also clarified that PNP chiefs serve at the pleasure of the President, who may replace them anytime. “Let us just expect that General Torre will be there until the end. That’s all I can say, (he) will be there performing his best up until the end,” Bersamin concluded.
Torre is notably the first Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) graduate appointed as PNP Chief. Graduating in 1993 ranked fourth among 90 cadets, Torre’s education includes three master’s degrees in Public Administration, Business Administration, and Educational Management.
Throughout his career, Torre has served in multiple roles, including chief of police in Mabalacat, Pampanga and Batangas City, provincial director of Samar, and chief information officer for the Police Regional Office 4A (Calabarzon). As Quezon City Police District Director, he introduced a three-minute response strategy, which he aims to implement in the Davao Region. His leadership also led to the dismissal of several police commanders for failing to adopt this strategy.
For more news and updates on the new Philippine National Police chief, visit Filipinokami.com.