FROM HOW IT looks, dirty politics may have something to do with the relief of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Nicolas Torre III, barely three months after being named as the country’s top cop.
In a briefly written letter, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin ordered Torre to “ensure proper turnover of all matters, documents and information related to your office.”
Prior to the relief order, Torre figured in what looked more like a turf war with Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla who “nullified” the most recent police reorganization that saw PNP’s number two man — Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez reassigned as area commander in Mindanao.
SEPARATE ORDER
A highly placed source from the Palace said that Bersamin actually signed two documents — one for Torre’s relief and another one recommending Nartatez as the new PNP chief, both dated August 25, 2025.
“The undersigned (Bersamin) respectively requests for the President’s signature to sign the appointment of Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Corpuz Nartatez Jr. as chief of the PNP, replacing Ge. Nicolas D. Torre III, reads part of the Memorandum for the President.
Attached with the memorandum is an accomplished appointment paper which awaits the President’s signature.
NO OTHER CHOICE
For the longest time, the President gets to name a national police chief from a shortlist of nominees – but not this time.
Marcos doesn’t have the leverage to choose because there isn’t much choice but Nartatez, who is known to be “extremely close” to Jonvic.
Their partnership dates back when Nartatez was still the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) regional police director. Jonvic was then the Cavite governor.
Those were the days when multi-billion dollar business embarking on illegal offshore gaming operations sprawled all over the Remulla clan’s turf — the province of Cavite, with Sangley Point as its melting pot.
DOUBLE AGENT?
Poised to take over the role of the country’s top cop, Nartatez doesn’t seem aware that he’s standing in the middle of a highly volatile political demigod. Serving politicians is far from the PNP mantra which is “to serve and protect.”
But clever as his friends would often describe him, Nartatez knows only too well how to use his position for survival, even if it takes to go around the bush.
Aside from Jonvic, Nartatez (who had a stint as Ilocos Norte provincial police chief) is also known close to former Ilocos Norte Governor and now Senator Imee Marcos who has been attacking his younger brother at the helm of the Palace.
PAPER LEAKS
In an online article posted on Reddit, a netizen who calls himself as PH Informer accused Nartatez of feeding Sen. Imee with “classified documents” — detailed stuff that only an insider like Nartatez would be able to sneak out.
“Sources say Tateng is the original source of a secret paper called Oplan Pursuit, which Imee used to say the government did an unfair witch hunt for the Duterte loyalists,” reads part of his web rant.
The same netizen went as far as tagging Nartatez as “the one who leaked video from President Marcos Jr’s birthday party — the Duran Duran concert,” resulting in public condemnation.
MAKE OR BREAK
When news broke out about the imminent arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the same netizen claimed that Nartatez (in his capacity as NCRPO Director) instructed his men to ignore ICC.
This was where Torre gambled on a make or break decision – to arrest Duterte. He even went as far as taking the former President to The Hague to face changes before the International Criminal Court.
Now tell me, who’s the man with the balls?
