Save pity for flood victims – Torre

MANILA, Philippines — Four days after he was sacked from his post, former Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III appealed to his supporters not to pity him and instead show compassion to victims of floods.

“Please do not pity me. In spite of my abrupt removal as chief of the Philippine National Police, I am OK,” he said in a video message posted on his Facebook account.

Torre told his supporters that they should show pity to the people who have been affected by recent floods that hit the country.

“They are the ones who need help and care because they are not supposed to be suffering whenever it rains,” Torre said.

Even if President Marcos sacked him, Torre said he has no ill feelings, stressing he respects and understood that the Chief Executive had to make a difficult decision.

“I serve and still continue to serve at the pleasure of the President and our country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing that a new post was offered to Torre.

“There is really an offer as we said, and as of now there’s no response yet,” she said, not specifying if the offer was the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) chief post.

Torre was asked by reporters earlier about his possible appointment to head the NBI and he replied: “I’m not qualified for it.” The NBI requires a lawyer as chief.

Torre on leave

The PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management has approved Torre’s leave from Aug. 27 to Sept. 29, PNP public information officer Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuano said yesterday.

“He used his mandatory leave, special privilege leave and his service leave,” Tuano told reporters.

Tuano said acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. was informed of Torre’s leave.

Meanwhile, in his first command conference as PNP acting chief, Nartatez laid out his programs for the police force, ordering commanders to improve their operations to benefit the public.

“We are talking about management and leadership, we must improve our police operations,” Nartatez told reporters after the conclusion of their meeting at Camp Crame yesterday.

He reminded around 96 star-rank officers who attended the conference to manage their resources, personnel, logistics and finances in the offices they are leading.

The morale of the PNP remains high despite the controversy over Torre’s relief, Nartatez added. — Helen Flores