One-on-one with Nick Torre
DURING our ‘one-on-one conversation’ in his office last Thursday, Major General Nick Torre, the director of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, spilled the beans on what really happened during the tense 12-hour standoff at the presidential lounge in Villamor Air Base before former President Rodrigo Duterte finally boarded the jet that flew him to the Netherlands.
Already a friend way back in the old days of the now defunct PNP Narcotics Command, Torre’s name will be forever etched in Philippine history as the man who literally sent two very powerful Davao City personalities in the person of FPRRD and self-proclaimed ‘Anointed Son of God’’ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ to jail.
The ground commander during the arrest of Duterte was also marking his 55th birthday on that day but there was no time to celebrate in the tension-filled executive lounge of the 250th Presidential Airlift Wing where he absorbed the brunt of curses and the ‘F word’ from FPRRD’s family, allies and supporters.
So much have been said and written about the events leading to FPRRD’s flight to The Hauge but last Thursday, Torre told me it is time to address issues raised by some purported policemen who claimed they will resign from the service in the aftermath of his actions.
He was referring to some who claimed they now have to a heavy badge as a result of what happened last Tuesday. “Sa mga kasamahan kong pulis, this is a very contentious issue, yung nagsasabing mabigat daw dalhin ang badge nila dahil sa nangyari.”
“But very few people can say they are more experienced than me. Twenty-years old ako nung nagpulis ako so more than 34-years na akong pulis. Etong iba na ito, masyado pang maigsi ang pagpupulis nila. Kaya yung nagsasabing mabigat ang badge nila, No, we followed the law, we followed legal orders that day.”
Torre defended his actions last Tuesday. “When we took our oath of office, pina-memorize sa atin ang Code of Professionalism and men who took their oath give up many of their rights like to say as we like, to dress as we like. Iba na ang trabaho ng uniformed personnel because kung wala yun, pag wala na yung nagte-temper na yun, ano na ang mangyayari sa atin na binigyan ng badge at baril?,’ he told me.
The 2-star police general said it is also the very reason why as always, civilian authority always prevail over the military. “Ito ang dahilan kaya nga ang military junta o uniformed service junta eh hindi nagsa-succeed. Hindi puwde na unformed service ang mag-didictate kung ano mangyayari,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Torre said there is also a big difference between President Bongbong Marcos who received more than 30 million votes during the May 2022 presidential elections and FPRRD who got more than 16.,6 million votes during the 2016 presidential polls. He was referring to the rule of law being observed under the Duterte administration compared to the present government.
“Hindi ko kinuwestiyon ang authority ni Duterte nung president siya kaya ang sabi ko sa sarili ko, kung ako tamaan pagdating ng panahon eh di sagutin natin. However, I can proudly saw that I am more comfortable in following orders from the present administration. Everything I receive I believe is legal which I cannot say in the previous administration,” he said.
He recounted that during his stint as Samar provincial police director during the Duterte presidency, he and his men were looking for real criminals, not for persons to be killed. Nung nasa Samar ako, criminal lang ang kalaban naming pero hindi kami naghahanap ng mapapatay, hindi kami naghahanap ng score.’
To police officers and men who have been siding with Duterte, here is his challenge: Tell me while looking at me straight in the eye kung wala ngang iskoran noon. Look at your inner self, pakinggan mo ang sarili mo at tingnan mo ang policy noon na tinitingnan ngayon sa microscope ng international community. This is my challenge sa lahat,” he said.
Torre said it is now the right time to hear the side of all concerned. “Hindi ba ang dapat eh dalhin sa korte ang akusado at manood kung papano dedepensahan ang sarili niya? Ang gusto nyo eh neutral ground, neutral body pero what can be more neutral than the ICC? Anong pakialam sa pulitika ng ICC, ng mga ICC judges, ng mga tao nito sa Pilipinas? Lahat sila titingnan lang ang case at wala sa mga judges ang qualified na tumakbo sa local politics,” he said.
He added: “Ang nag-aakusa ke Duterte eh hindi foreigners kung hindi mga Pilipino who felt so agrreived and helpless na nung panahon nya, hindi sila makakakuha ng justice. Kasi nga nung panahon niya, yung sitting senator at dating Justice secretary nakulong nga tapos dismissed naman lahat ng kasong na-file sa kanya eventually.”
“Ito yung mga taong walang kakayahan na kumuha ng abogado de-campanilla, na tinutulungan lang ng mga volunteer lawyers for free, na alab ng damdamin at paniniwala lang sa hustisya ang nasa isipan nila. Unlike him, he has all the resources para tapatan mga abogado ng complainants. Pero pag hindi nila ma-convince ang ICC eh malas nya because somebody has to render justice for all the victims who really have no chance to claim innocence dahil patay na nga sila.”
His appeal to his bashers: “Hindi ba naaapi yung mga complainants? Hindi ba sila ang dapat na tulungan natin. Tayong mga pulis, wala tayong kinikilingan dapat pero ang tulong lang natin eh dalhin ang akusado sa korte and give them the chance to answer. Kung ayaw naman, sa batas eh you give a waiver of your right to be heard. Kaya nga naniniwala tayong dapat tayong sumunod lahat sa batas.”
