Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Wednesday dismissed Vice President Sara Duterte’s public questioning of his appointment as “sketchy,” saying he respects her opinion but stands by the legality and integrity of his elevation to the top police post.
In an interview aired from The Hague, Vice President Duterte criticized Torre’s appointment, linking it to his role in the controversial arrest and transfer of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, to the International Criminal Court.
She cited findings by a Senate committee that alleged Torre violated the law in executing the arrest, which she claimed tainted his qualification for the post.
Asked for comment, Torre responded: “I respect the opinion of the Vice President and the opinion of everyone regarding the things we’ve done during the arrest of Mr. Duterte and his eventual transfer to The Hague.”
He noted that the Senate committee’s findings do not carry legal weight.
“The Senate committee is not a disciplinary body nor a court that can determine guilt or innocence,” Torre said.
“The matter is already with the Office of the Ombudsman, and we will respond in the proper forum,” he added.
Torre also responded to Davao City Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte, who accused him of jumping three ranks without merit and labeled him an “attack dog.”
The PNP chief dismissed the comment, saying he respected the mayor’s opinion but pointed out the apparent double standard.
“If we rewind a bit to the time of his father, who was the first PNP chief under then-President Duterte?” Torre said.
“That chief was promoted from one-star directly to four-star. Did he question that back then?” he added.
Torre, who rose to the top post from a two-star rank, added that the precedent for such appointments existed long before his own and emphasized that his promotion followed lawful procedures.
