Newly appointed Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Lieutenant General Nicolas Torre III has officially begun his duties. His name had long been floated by colleagues and observers, especially after the announced retirement of former PNP Chief Police General Rommel Francisco Marbil. Torre had recently been involved in high-profile cases such as the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy and the International Criminal Court's warrant against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
With these milestones, friends and peers told Torre that the post was certainly within reach.
"If you're asking if I expected it, I’d be a hypocrite if I said no. But at the end of the day, I always surrendered myself to faith, and most especially, to the appointing authority who is the president of the Philippines, President BBM," Torre said in Filipino during a radio interview on the morning of 6 June.
As for the direction of the police force under his leadership, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gave him a few minutes of his time and a clear reminder to align the PNP with the administration’s goals.
When asked about his leadership style and whether he preferred to be feared, Torre drew a contrast between the aggressive style of a former president and President Marcos Jr.’s more composed and consultative approach.
"Just because you're always cursing, always angry, and act tough doesn't mean you're effective, brave, or strong," he said in Filipino, emphasizing that leadership must be balanced within the bounds of the law. This, he added, reflects Marcos Jr.’s management style.
Peace and Order
Torre’s first order of business is to clear public doubt about the PNP’s credibility. He has ordered the removal of abandoned police outposts and emphasized regular patrols, aiming to restore public trust in police presence.
Criticism has mounted over official crime rate reports, with some sectors accusing the administration of underreporting incidents. Torre wants to move past statistics and focus on real impact.
He is also eyeing better response time from the PNP’s emergency hotline, 911. With a current goal of five minutes, Torre wants to boost reliability and end the notion that police help is only found at the station.
These initiatives, Torre emphasized, are only the beginning. Real change lies in how every PNP personnel performs on the ground.
"It's your job to convince the people that they are safe. How will you do that? I’ve already given you the guidelines. We don’t need to force those statistics showing the crime rate is dropping. What matters most is that they don’t become part of those statistics," Torre said in Filipino during the same radio interview.