Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla disclosed that relieved former PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III was offered anti-corruption post by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr..

“It has something to do with anti-corruption. So, I’m telling you…The President still really believes in General Torre,” Remulla said.

He stressed that he and the President had nothing personal against Torre.

Remulla, as Secretary of the Interior, is also the ex officio chair of the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), said Torre was removed as PNP chief after a difference of opinion with the agency over the assignments of senior police officials.

Marcos ordered the Torre’s relief, which Remulla said was in connection with the lack of approval by the NAPOLCOM of the assignments of top officials in the organization.

He said he recommended to Marcos that the administration proceed with correcting the mistake of the past administration regarding the assignments of top police officers.

“We’re a nation of laws and not of men. So it cannot be one person who dominates everything. So in the end, there was no rancor. He just couldn’t accept it,” Remulla said.

“And the president said, ‘Okay.’ He asked me for my recommendation. And I said, ‘We have to continue on this path of correcting all the errors of before’,” he added.

In asserting its authority when it issued the resolution to reverse Torre’s assignments of officers, the NAPOLCOM cited Section 6, Article XVI of the 1987 Constitution that provides that the State shall establish and maintain one police force, “to be administered and controlled by a national police commission.”

“Ever since PRRD’s time, when the NAPOLCOM was totally bypassed of all appointments, it became now the right rather than the privilege of every PNP chief,” Remulla said.

And the president really wanted to… institutionalize it back to how the law was intended. General Torre… didn’t see it necessary. The president chose the institution over the person,” he added.

The NAPOLCOM, in a resolution dated August 14 Resolution 2025-0531, ordered the return of Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez as Deputy Chief for Administration and Police Lieutenant General Bernard Banac as commander of the Area Police Command (APC) Western Mindanao.

Both officers switched positions earlier this month.

The commission also ordered the PNP to immediately issue corresponding orders with regard to the movement of 11 more officials.