Former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief and now Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson reacted to the controversial relief of ex-PNP Chief Police General Nicolas Torre III, noting that better communication could have prevented the fallout.
In an interview during Dos Por Dos on Wednesday, Lacson admitted he was surprised by the news, especially considering Torre’s performance and public perception.
“Unang tanong siyempre, bakit kaya?” Lacson said. “Kasi bitbit niya ang buong organisasyon. Maganda ang perception sa kanya ng publiko dahil sa mga ginagawa niya.”
According to Lacson, he was particularly taken aback when he saw the letter from Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirming the move.
The senator noted that while Torre’s sudden removal sparked public confusion, there may be underlying administrative factors that triggered it, particularly a reported reshuffling within the PNP command structure.
‘Number 2 Man’ at the center
Lacson shared that Torre’s decision to relieve his deputy, referred to as the “number 2 man” — General Jose Melencio Nartatez, now acting Chief PNP — may have been a critical point of contention.
That action, according to Lacson, was reversed by the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), but Torre allegedly did not comply.
“Ang narinig ko, nireshuffle niya, pero nireverse ng NAPOLCOM, at hindi siya tumalima,” he said.
Lacson explained that during his own time as PNP Chief under President Joseph Estrada, he was given "blanket authority," which meant full control over assignments, designations, and even promotions up to the rank of police lieutenant colonel. However, he was always careful not to interfere with top-level command appointments such as the Deputy for Administration.
“Ang command group kasi tatlo lang naman ‘yong lieutenant general sa command group, ‘yong deputy for administration — number 2 man, deputy for operations — number 3 man, tsaka ‘yong chief director of staff,” he explained.
“‘Yon talaga hindi ko pinakialaman ‘yon. At ‘yon talagang pinaubaya ko ‘yon sa mas nakakataas, sa commander in chief at sa ex officio chairman ng NAPOLCOM. As SILG (Jonvic Remulla) wala siyang pakialam sa PNP pero as ex officio ng NAPOLCOM doon siya merong supervisory authority,” Lacson added.
Miscommunication among police force officials
While Lacson acknowledged that Torre’s move may have broken protocol, he stopped short of calling it a grave offense, instead emphasizing that better communication could have prevented the fallout.
“Ang nakita ko lang na pagkakamali, kung maituturing na pagkakamali ni General Torre eh ‘yon nga dapat noong nireverse ng NAPOLCOM, either nakipag-communicate siya or in the first place, bago niya nirelieve ‘yong kanyang number 2 si General Nartatez, dapat man lang sana naki-tao po. Kumbaga sa flood control project, ‘passing through,’” Lacson said.
He also called out NAPOLCOM’s role, noting that it shouldn't have acted unilaterally in reversing Torre’s orders without engaging in direct coordination.
“Mali rin siguro ‘yong part ng NAPOLCOM na unilaterally nireverse nila. ‘Yon pa isa, talagang member ang Chief PNP ng NAPOLCOM so dapat na-resolve ‘yan within the NAPOLCOM board, meron naman silang commission ‘yan eh. Tumawag ng emergency meeting tapos pag-usapan,” Lacson added.
Bigger than one mistake?
Asked if Torre’s alleged infraction was enough to overshadow his previous accomplishments, Lacson was careful not to speculate but stressed the importance of maintaining organizational unity.
“Mahirap mag-speculate, pero kung ang usaping nireverse at hindi sinunod eh medyo mabigat ‘yon sa isang organization kasi mawawala ‘yong cohesiveness eh. Kasi kailangan maganda ‘yong relasyon ng NAPOLCOM sa PNP.”
He further emphasized that any leadership crisis must be addressed within proper institutional channels. Given that the PNP Chief is a member of the NAPOLCOM, Lacson argued that such issues should have been resolved through a board discussion or emergency meeting.
Reflecting on Torre’s character, Lacson recalled a conversation he had with Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla during the campaign season in Cavite.
“Sayang kasi noong una siyang na-appoint, medyo nagkausap kami ni Secretary Jonvic noon eh, noong kampanya pa ito sa Cavite noong nag-rally kami sa Cavite, sabi niya ‘Ping, anong palagay mo kay Nic Torre?’ sabi ko ‘Eh ‘yon talaga ang hinahanap niyo, ‘yong mission-oriented, na kapag inutusan talagang ibabangga ang katawan niya for the accomplishment of the mission. Maganda ‘yong attitude,” the senator shared.
Still, the senator recognized the limits of public understanding on the issue, suggesting that deeper reasons may exist.
“Hindi natin alam ang mas malalim na dahilan. Baka meron pa tayong hindi nakikita. Pero sa dami ng nagawa ni General Torre, parang mahirap paniwalaan para sa publiko,” he noted.
Lacson also highlighted that Torre may have felt his leadership was undermined.
“Kasi kung ako rin si General Torre eh parang nahamon ‘yong aking leadership; na nireverse ako, na hindi ako ‘yong nag-rescind ng order, kasi ‘yong order manggagaling ‘yan sa director for personnel eh,” he said.
Lacson ultimately recognized that the President has the prerogative to hire or fire officials within his executive power. He also acknowledged the challenge now facing General Jose Melencio Nartatez, who is stepping into the role.
“Malaking sapatos ang i-fi-fill niya (General Nartatez),” Lacson said, alluding to Torre’s track record.
Lacson reiterated the need for professionalism and communication within institutions like the PNP and NAPOLCOM, especially when leadership transitions can have wide-ranging implications.
