BRIG. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, director of the Davao region police, has been designated chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) after leading police operations that forced Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy to surrender.
Torre’s designation as acting CIDG director, which is a promotion, took effect yesterday. It was based on an order signed by PNP director for personnel and management records management Maj. Gen. Sidney Hernia. The order was issued “by command” of PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil.
Torre assumed the post of Davao region police chief in June, and led efforts to locate and arrest Quiboloy who was then wanted on charges of child abuse and human trafficking.
On August 24, thousands of policemen swooped down on the KOJC compound in Davao City and began searching dozens of structures inside the over 30-hectare property.
On September 8, Quiboloy and four of his co-accused surrendered after policemen surrounded the Bible School building inside the compound. Quiboloy and the others had been given a 24-hour ultimatum to surrender, or lawmen would assault the building.
Torre succeeded Maj. Gen. Leo Francisco as CIDG chief. Francisco was re-assigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit, pending a new assignment.
Named acting Davao region police director, vice Torre, was Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Leon Victor Rosete.
Several other generals were given new positions, including Cagayan Valley police director Brig. Gen. Christopher Birung who was designated as PNP Academy (PNPA) director.
Birung succeeded Brig. Gen. Arnold Ardiente who was PNPA officer-in-charge, in concurrent capacity as PNPA deputy director.
Brig. Gen. Antonio Marallag Jr, director of the PNP Headquarters Support Service (HSS), was named Birung’s successor as Cagayan Valley police director.
Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, PNPA commandant of cadets, was named acting director of Northern Mindanao, replacing Brig. Gen. Ricardo Layug who is due to retire today.
The PNP has yet to announce who will be taking the place of Rosete (as SPD director), Marallag (HSS director), and De Guzman (as PNPA commandant of cadets).
