Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa downplayed the controversy surrounding the removal of Police General Nicolas Torre III as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), stressing that changes in leadership are part of the reality of public service.
“Well, it just goes to show na walang forever. That’s the reality sa serbisyo—anytime you can be relieved, so you have to be ready,” said Dela Rosa, himself a former PNP chief under the Duterte administration. He added that while he could not say whether Torre overstepped his powers, it is expected that officers in such positions remain prepared for sudden relief.
Dela Rosa explained that during his time as police chief, he made appointments but always cleared them with Malacañang. “I don’t know if he did it without the clearance of Malacañang, then maybe meron siyang nasagasaan,” he noted, adding that urgent orders during his tenure were still reported to the Palace afterwards.
Meanwhile, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, also a former PNP chief, took a stricter view. He said Torre appeared to have acted “beyond his authority” when he relieved his second-in-command, Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., without proper clearance.
Lacson stressed that the appointment and relief of command group members must always be coordinated with the President, the chairman of the National Police Commission, or the Interior Secretary. He recalled that even when former President Joseph Estrada gave him “blanket authority” during his own term as PNP chief, he did not exercise such absolute power.
For Lacson, what matters now is ensuring stability in the organization. “What is important at this point is a smooth transition and transfer of command and authority so as not to hamper the overall mission of the PNP to continue maintaining peace and order,” he said.
