PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. offered former PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III a post in government related to the fight against corruption, Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said yesterday.
Remulla did not elaborate on the job offer, but expressed hope that Torre will accept it.
“It (job offer) has something to do with anti-corruption,” said Remulla in an interview with GMA Integrated News on Wednesday.
Torre was relieved as police commander on Monday, and was replaced by Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. last Tuesday.
“So I am telling you the President still really believes in General Torre. It is still enough that he be given, offered, a position to fight corruption and to investigate corruption,” Remulla said.
In the interview, the secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, which has oversight powers over the PNP, confirmed that “difference in opinion” led to Torre’s removal as PNP chief.
He was referring to Torre’s reassignment of senior police officials without consulting the National Police Commission (Napolcom), which Remulla chairs.
The reassigned officers included Nartatez, the then PNP’s No. 2 man or PNP deputy chief for administration, who transferred as commander of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao.
“It’s a difference between me and the general and he refused, he insisted that his system be followed,” Remulla said.
“In the end there’s no rancor. He just couldn’t accept it and the President asked me for my recommendation, and I said we have to continue in this path of correcting all the errors of before. My recommendation was that we have to strengthen the institution. The institution must be protected and then all the decisions followed from there,” he also said.
“General Torre didn’t see it necessary. So, the President chose the institution over the person,” he added.
Remulla said the issue on Napolcom being “bypassed” in the assignment of colonels and generals started during the time of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
‘VERY PRODUCTIVE’
Remulla said he still admires Torre as a police officer.
Torre assumed the post of PNP chief on June 2, or eight months after Remulla took over as DILG secretary.
“General Torre, I still deeply respect you. I hold you in my highest admiration. I think that in the 85 days that we spent together as SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government) and PNP chief, we were very productive,” he said.
He also said: “I think that (job offer) shows you that a difference of opinion does not necessarily mean an end of a friendship or an end of a working relationship. It is just that.”
“I still hope that you join us in government and help us in our crusade in making a better Philippines,” he added.
Torre did not answer repeated calls for reaction.
