Metropolitan Manila Development Authority General Manager and retired Philippine National Police chief Nicolas Torre III called for fairness and restraint in handling administrative cases involving police personnel, warning against what he described as “trial by publicity” and premature judgment before formal proceedings are completed.
In a Facebook post, Torre stressed that while police officers who commit mistakes must be held accountable, authorities should not turn personnel into “convenient sacrificial lambs” for public applause.
He questioned public pronouncements allegedly made before hearings and the full presentation of evidence, particularly from officials tasked with ensuring fairness and due process in administrative proceedings.
Addressing Atty. Ralph Calinisan in his statement, Torre said many police officers quietly perform their duties yet end up suffering damage to their names, careers, and families because of statements released before cases are fully resolved.
“Administrative justice demands restraint, not performance,” Torre wrote, emphasizing that decisions should be based on evidence such as documents, testimonies, CCTV footage, and established facts rather than media attention or public pressure.
Torre also argued that defending discipline within the police organization does not mean tolerating abuse, but likewise includes protecting personnel from what he described as unfair persecution.
He further maintained that accountability should be determined through proper proceedings and evidence, “not headlines, not noise, and certainly not ambition disguised as righteousness.”
The statement came amid public discussion surrounding administrative proceedings involving a Quezon City police officer linked to a viral road incident involving a motorcycle rider.