THE Philippine National Police (PNP) confirmed on Friday that former chief Police General Nicolas Torre III has filed a one-month leave of absence following his sudden removal from the country’s top police post.
According to the PNP, Torre is now assigned to the Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (PHAU) under the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management (DPRM).
“He applied for leave starting August 28 and ending on September 29—almost a month,” PNP Public Information Office chief Police Brigadier General Randulf Tuaño told reporters in an ambush interview.
Tuaño explained that Torre availed of his mandatory leave, special privilege leave, and service leave entitlements.
Torre’s departure from the helm of the PNP came less than three months after he assumed leadership on June 2. Police Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has since taken over as acting PNP chief.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla earlier said Torre’s relief stemmed partly from his refusal to follow a National Police Commission directive on the reassignment of key officers.
Despite his removal, Remulla noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is considering Torre for another government position.