From ‘champion’ to shortest-serving: Philippine police chief sacked after just 84 days

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr had praised Nicolas Torre III as ‘our new champion’ less than a month before dismissing him

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Philippine Interior Secretary Juanito Remulla (second left) and incoming police officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Jose Nartatez (third left) stand in front of an image of outgoing chief General Nicolas Torre III during a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday. Nartatez replaces Torre, who served just over two months. Photo: EPA

Published: 7:42pm, 26 Aug 2025Updated: 8:04am, 27 Aug 2025

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has dismissed national police chief Nicolas Torre III after just 84 days in the role, following a dispute over authority within the force stemming from his defiance of the National Police Commission.

The move ends the brief, high-profile tenure of a police chief who had led headline-grabbing arrests and become a public figure in his own right.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced Torre’s removal in a brief two-paragraph order on Monday evening but gave no reason for the president’s decision.

Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla later said the move was tied to a dispute involving the National Police Commission (Napolcom), the civilian oversight body under his department that sets policy and supervises the police.

Philippine Interior Secretary Juanito Remulla (left) administers the oath to incoming police officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Jose Nartatez during a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

Remulla explained that Torre had ordered the reassignment of his deputy, Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jnr, to Mindanao in July and named a replacement. Napolcom countermanded the order, but Torre introduced his new deputy on August 5 regardless.

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