IN A move that is yet to be fully explained to the public, President Marcos Jr., thru Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, has relieved PGen. Nicolas Deloso Torre III, as head of the Philippine National Police (PNP), effective immediately.
In a one-page memo dated August 25, a copy of which has already circulated to the media, Bersamin also instructed Torre that for the continuous and efficient delivery of public services, “you are hereby directed to ensure proper turnover off all matters, documents, and information relative to your office.”
Designated as the new Chief PNP is PLt.Gen. Jose Melencio Corpuz Nartates.
Nartates, already the PNP’s second highest police official as Deputy Chief for Administration (DCA), was demoted last August 5 to head the Western Mindanao Area Police Command.
His post was then taken over by Western Mindanao APC chief, PLt.Gen. Bernard Banac, his “mistah” at Class 1992 of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA).
Prior to this, Nartates had also served as director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Calabarzon Region Police Office (PRO-4A).
The decision by Torre to move Nartates to Mindanao led to a public tiff with the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), with the latter questioning the decision as it disregarded NAPOLCOM’s authority over personnel movement at the PNP.
The NAPOLCOM is also chaired by Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla, who has also expressed his displeasure on Torre’s relief of Nartates.
Torre, the first graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) to assume the top post in the national police organization (Class 1993), was chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) when he was appointed as the 31st Chief PNP last June 2, 2025, for a stint of barely two months (this is an updated report, 12:41 pm).