A new chapter begins at Camp Crame — and with it, perhaps a new era for law enforcement in the Philippines.

On May 29, 2025, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. named Police Major General Nicolas Torre III as the next chief of the Philippine National Police. He will assume the role following the retirement of General Rommel Francisco Marbil in early June. It’s a move that may surprise some, but for those who’ve watched Torre’s trajectory closely, it feels not just appropriate — it feels inevitable.

Who is General Nick Torre? He’s the man who stared down power and didn’t blink. The name etched in headlines for the unprecedented arrests of two seemingly untouchable figures: former president Rodrigo Duterte and self-proclaimed “Son of God” Apollo Quiboloy. Each operation was high-stakes, potentially explosive — but Torre managed them with the kind of cool authority that only a few in the police force possess.

His rise wasn’t built on publicity or proximity to political power. It was built on performance.

Torre’s resume is anything but conventional. He’s a Mindanao native — born and raised in Koronadal City, South Cotabato — and the son of the late Rodolfo Molarto “Dolping” Torre, a Philippine Constabulary officer who was assassinated in the line of duty in 1990. That tragedy shaped his values and forged a steel-hard commitment to justice.

From the UN to the Philippine countryside, Torre has seen the many faces of policing. He served in the United Nations peacekeeping mission, worked as an air marshal under the Department of Transportation, and held key positions across the archipelago — from being Samar’s provincial director in 2017 during Duterte’s presidency, to leading the Quezon City Police District, and later heading the PNP’s Communications and Electronics Service.

But it was his stint as chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) that turned him into a household name. In March, he led the implementation of the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court against former President Duterte for alleged crimes against humanity. The scene was tense, emotional, and historic. Yet Torre remained unfazed. He followed orders. He followed the law.

And months before that, as the police chief of the Davao Region, he orchestrated the successful capture — or surrender, depending on who you ask — of Quiboloy, who faces charges ranging from child abuse to human trafficking and is on the FBI’s most wanted list.

So why Torre? Why now?
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin kept the president’s shortlist of candidates confidential, but emphasized that the final decision is solely the President’s call — and that “no one can question the use of that discretion.” President Marcos Jr. had earlier indicated he wanted a “very senior officer” who “knows the situation.” With Torre’s combination of experience, guts, and an unwavering sense of duty, it’s clear that he fits the mold.

More than just a cop, Torre has become a symbol — of law enforcement that can act independently, that is not paralyzed by fear of retribution, and that dares to bring even the most powerful to justice.
As he steps into the highest post of the 228,000-strong police force, expectations will be sky-high. Can he instill discipline across the ranks? Can he clean house and root out remnants of corruption and abuse? Can he transform the PNP into an institution that earns not just obedience, but trust?

Time will tell. But if past performance is any indicator, the country may have just gotten the right man for the job.

And perhaps — just perhaps — justice in the Philippines is finally learning to walk tall.

All eyes are now on Gen. Nick Torre. The man who arrested a president and a pastor. Who’s next?( TAMBULI NG BAYAN-Ronnie Estrada) #gennicktorre #PNPCHIEF