Nartatez to reassign Torre if he won't retire, says they're 'okay'

MANILA, Philippines — Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., the newly-installed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, will assign now ex-chief General Nicolas Torre III to the Office of the Chief PNP or at the Public Information Office (PIO) if he would not retire, dispelling speculations of a rift.

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“In the PNP of course if you are not yet retired, or mandatory retirement that is age 56, nobody can force a PNP (official) to retire. Kasi karapatan niya yon (That is his right),” Nartatez said in an ambush interview on Tuesday after he assumed his new post.

“So of course, there is an order to relieve, and then there are designation orders. I follow. He is there at the Office of the chief PNP or at the PIO,” he said.

Only 55 years old, Torre still has over a year to go before retirement.

On Tuesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, sacked Torre, the man who arrested fugitive televangelist Apollo Quiboloy and former president Rodrigo Duterte, barely three months after taking helm of the police force.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Marcos only upheld the authority of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), among other reasons, nullifying Torre’s controversial reshuffle of ranks within the PNP.

Nartatez, however, clarified that there was no rift between him and Torre.

“We’re okay,” he said.