Retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and current Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager Nicolas Torre III criticized the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) for what he described as “trial by publicity” in its handling of a Quezon City police officer involved in a viral road altercation.

In a social media post, Torre called out NAPOLCOM Commissioner Ralph Calinisan, accusing him of making premature judgments before formal administrative proceedings had even begun.

“Judge ka ng administrative cases, hindi prosecutor ng media circus,” Torre said.

The controversy stemmed from a viral road incident in Quezon City in which a police officer was caught on video pushing a motorcycle rider, triggering widespread public backlash online.

Torre, however, argued that the initial public narrative lacked crucial context, claiming the rider had allegedly provoked the officer prior to the confrontation.

According to reports, the rider — who was recording the incident using his own camera — had allegedly followed and chased the officer while shouting at him, prompting the policeman to push the rider away.

Despite the claims of provocation, the legal situation facing the officer has intensified. The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) reportedly upgraded the case against the involved personnel to frustrated murder following NAPOLCOM’s public condemnation of the incident.

Torre questioned the impartiality of the process, saying authorities appeared more focused on appeasing public sentiment than ensuring due process.

“Anong klase kang adjudicator kung sa umpisa pa lang — hindi mo pa naririnig ang buong panig... naka-presscon ka na at malinaw nang sinasabi mong mali ang pulis?” he said.

His remarks came after Calinisan presented the officer to the media and floated the possibility of immediate dismissal from service even before a formal hearing had taken place.

NAPOLCOM has also indicated that the investigator and the chief of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) could face liability in connection with the case.

While acknowledging that misconduct within the PNP should not go unpunished, Torre warned against turning police personnel into “convenient sacrificial lambs” for the sake of public approval.

He stressed that administrative discipline must be grounded on a full evaluation of evidence — including CCTV footage and witness accounts — rather than on “headlines” or “noise.”

“Kung totoong patas ang sistema, let evidence decide — not headlines, not noise, and certainly not ambition disguised as righteousness,” Torre said.

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