DILG denies Torre ouster tied to P8B firearms proposal
No bark, not as yet Dismissed PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III was once described by his immediate boss, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla, as a ‘bulldog’ or ‘pitbull’ meant to be feared by the government’s enemies. With his ouster, the question now is whether Torre will bare his fangs and bark back at his former benefactors.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday debunked claims that Gen. Nicolas Torre III was ousted as the Philippine National Police (PNP) chief over the planned purchase of 80,000 firearms valued at P8 billion for the PNP’s 2026 budget.
"There are allegations that the recent reorganization at the Philippine National Police was due to Gen. Nicolas Torre's refusal to carry out the supposed instructions of Secretary Jonvic Remulla to purchase firearms. This claim is false," the DILG said in a statement.
Documents obtained by the Daily Tribune noted an unsigned proposal, as Torre reportedly refused to affix his signature on an “accomplished request” for P8 billion in funding for an arms procurement deal.
The memo, however, justified the “Request for Endorsement and Budget Support” as a move that would help the PNP in its Firearms Capability Enhancement program.
The justification for acquiring the assault rifles is that the PNP is now focused on internal security operations and would thus need such an armory, while the Armed Forces is focused on external defense.
“The shift in operational landscape, however, has exposed critical gaps in our force readiness, most notably in firepower capability. While the PNP remains committed to fulfilling its mandate, the current inventory of basic assault rifles is insufficient to meet the growing demand of ISO units across all operational areas,” the memo said.
It added: “We believe this proposal aligns with national priorities on peace and order, public safety, and territorial integrity.”
The DILG, however, said that the memo is false.
"When Secretary Remulla received an unsolicited proposal to purchase 80,000 firearms for the PNP, he asked Gen. Torre to assess its operational necessity. He also reminded Gen. Torre that this kind of purchase can only be done through congressional insertion, as this was not included in the National Expenditure Program."
The DILG clarified that Remulla "has never facilitated nor endorsed any congressional budget insertion."
The agency added that Remulla even agreed with Torre when he said that the purchase of said firearms was unnecessary.
"The Secretary concurred with Gen. Torre's assessment. There was no directive to purchase," said the agency.
"The DILG remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and ensuring the safety of our communities," it added.