August 26, 2025 | 09:31 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has fired the national police chief, General Nicolas Torre. He gained public attention for leading the separate arrests of former President Rodrigo Duterte upon the order of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and evangelist Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, who is on the FBI's wanted list for alleged child sex trafficking, said Philippine officials on Tuesday, August 26, 2025.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin did not cite the reasons for the dismissal of General Nicolas Torre as the head of the 232,000-member national police force, a position appointed by Marcos in May and supposed to be held until 2027.
He will be replaced by another senior police general, Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., who assumed the highest position on Tuesday.
In a letter to Torre published on Tuesday, as reported by ABC News and Arab News, Bersamin informed Torre of his immediate dismissal as the national police chief at Marcos's order. Torre was instructed "to ensure the proper turnover of all matters, documents and information relative to your office."
Torre was not immediately available for comment.
Prior to his dismissal, Torre was reported to have clashed with government officials regarding his decision to dismiss more than a dozen police officials from their positions, including Nartatez. The National Police Commission ordered the reinstatement of these police officials this month, but it appears that it was not implemented immediately.
"He did not violate any laws, he has not been charged criminally or administratively, it is simply a choice of the president to take a new direction for the national police," said Interior Minister Jonvic Remulla without further explanation at a press conference when asked why Torre was removed.
Marcos and Torre had an "wonderful and productive relationship," said Remulla.
"Only the president can specifically answer why Torre was removed," said Remulla. It is unclear whether Torre will be offered another government position.
The Arrests of Duterte and Quiboloy
In March, Torre led the chaotic arrest of Duterte at the Manila international airport and his surrender to the ICC detention in the Netherlands for deadly anti-drug crackdowns.
Duterte denied ordering the executions of drug suspects, but openly threatened to kill drug dealers while serving as mayor of Southern Davao and later as president.
Last year, Torre also oversaw the arrest of the Philippine religious leader, Apollo Quiboloy, a major supporter of Duterte who is on the FBI wanted list after being charged with sexual abuse and trafficking of underage girls in the U.S.
At the time when he was the regional police chief of Southern Davao, Torre led thousands of police members who confronted a large number of Quiboloy's followers opposing the arrest of the religious leader in his extensive religious complex in Southern Davao.
Quiboloy and his lawyer have denied the allegations.
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