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VOL. XXXIX • NO. 192 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2025 •
85-day stint: Torre removed as PNP chief
NEWS/ A3
Marcos names Nartatez as OIC; new post eyed for Torre By Vince Lopez, Charles Dantes, Pot Chavez, Maricel Cruz and Ram Superable
HELLO, GOODBYE.
(Top) Interior and Local Government Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla swears in Philippine National Police (PNP) officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. on August 26, 2025 during an official turnover ceremony at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. (Bottom) Then PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III greets President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. during the National Heroes Day ceremony at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on August 25, 2025. RTVM / Office of the Chief PNP
P
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has relieved Gen. Nicolas Torre III as chief of the Philippine National Police after serving for just 85 days, the Palace announced yesterday. Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. assumed command in a surprise turnover ceremony presided over by Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla at Camp Crame in Quezon City. “The President has made the difficult but necessary decision to relieve PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III of his duties. The President believes that his national security apparatus must always work within the framework of the law,” Remulla said. In a memorandum dated August 25, 2025, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin directed Torre to ensure the proper turnover of all matters, documents, and information relative to his office to maintain the efficient delivery of public service. Remulla admitted that the reshuffle at the PNP, which was overturned
by the National Police Commission, was part of the reason for his relief “among other things” but he declined to elaborate on the “other” reasons. Torre earlier reassigned Nartatez from Deputy Chief for Administration – the number 2 position -- to Western Mindanao police commander. “With the recent developments, the President was presented with the facts
and he determined that the best course of action is to uphold the role of Napolcom as it was intended by law. As part of this resolution, the President decided to relieve Gen. Torre,” Remulla said. He, however, clarified the relief was not a sanction over the administrative stalemate with Napolcom. “There is no sanction. The Napol-
Torre a no-show during turnover; did not take DILG chief’s phone calls By Vince Lopez GEN. Nicolas Torre III was a no-show during yesterday’s turnover rites in Camp Crame where Lt. Gen. Jose Me Melencio Nartatez Jr. assumed command of the Philippine National Police. Torre has not been seen nor has given any media interview since the announcement of his relief early Tuesday morning, which caught a lot of people by surprise. But Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Torre knew and “acknowledged” the relief order even as the latter did not take phone calls Monday evening. "I have tried to get in touch with him (Torre). I made five phone calls Next page
Navotas landfill closes down, Metro garbage off to San Mateo By Pot Chavez
com has not taken any sanctions as a body, nor has it been discussed, nor has it been filed. This is a personal decision of the President,” Remulla said. Remulla said Torre, a four-star general, has the option to retire early to avoid a possible scenario of Nartatez serving as PNP chief with a three-star rank. Next page
CONTINGENCY plans have been put in place to avert a sanitation crisis in parts of Metro Manila due to the closure of the Navotas landfill facility. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso yesterday confirmed that he received a letter from MMDA chairman Romando Artes advising the city to divert its waste today to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF) in Rizal. The closure will also affect the cities of Navotas, Pasig Valenzuela, and parts of Pasay and Paranaque. Artes told Manila Standard the landfill was expropriated as part of an ongoing airport development project. Next page
Leviste sues DPWH bribe-giver, suggests WPP protection By Pot Chavez
Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials before the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor’s CONGRESSMAN Leandro LevOffice. iste filed a case on Tuesday against “This Department of goes be bePublic Works yond a and HighP3.1-milP3.1-mil ways (DPWH) lion bribe, Batangas 1st but rather District EngiNEWS / A3 up to over neer Abelardo P300 mil milCalalo for dilion annurect bribery, ally of SOPs or kickbacks from corruption of public officials, violaDPWH projects reserved for a tions of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Next page Practices Act, and breaches of the
Senate to arrest contractors who don’t show up
CLOSED. The Navotas Sanitary Landfill, where most of Metro Manila’s waste is disposed of, was closed down yesterday. The
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has advised the Manila city government to begin redirecting the city’s waste to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF) in Rizal.
PAGASA warns of powerful storms Surveys show affirmation of as La Nina looms in 4th quarter House leadership By Rio N. Araja By Maricel V. Cruz
SINUKAT NGUNIT KULANG. Congressman Leandro Legarda Leviste
yesterday visited the damaged Binambang Riverbank Protection Project of the DPWH in Balayan, Batangas which was damaged by the recent typhoons. During the inspection, the Batangas solon discovered that the sheet piles used were only 3.96 meters to 5.5 meters in size, contrary to the 15 meters of sheet piles paid for by the DPWH in the P1-billion peso project.
THE latest survey showing that seven in 10 Filipinos are satisfied with their congressional district representatives is a clear affirmation of the leadership of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and the continuing trust of Filipinos in Congress, a lawmaker said. Meanwhile, House leaders hailed the latest OCTA Research survey showing that Filipinos overwhelmingly distrust China, view it as the greatest threat to the Philippines, and demand a strong defense of the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). Next page
THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday announced that it is closely monitoring the possibility of La Niña and
its effects on the local climate as early as September. “The Department of Science and Technology-PAGASA will continue to closely monitor the ongoing El Niño, its effect on the local climate, Next page
Roxas matriarch passes on at 91 THE matriarch of the Roxas clan, Judy Araneta Roxas, has passed away, according to her son, former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Mar Roxas. Next page
Judy Araneta Roxas