ONE-ON-ONE WITH NICK TORRE
IN my recent one-on-one conversation with PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group director, Major General Nick Torre, he told me without batting an eyelash that former President Rodrigo Duterte and his followers already knew beforehand the repercussions of their ‘bloody war on drugs.”
“Alam naman nila kaya nga umalis sa ICC (International Criminal Court). Yun ang reaction nila. Alam din nila kung sino-sino pa ang lalabasan ng warrants. Ang maganda lang, me pronouncements na sila, na iisa ang pahayag na they are willing to surrender and I hope they will make good that promise,” he said.
The member of PNP Academy ‘Tagapaglunsad’ Class of 1993 also maintained that it is also the time for The Philippines which is part of a community of nation to really return to the right judicial process. “It’s about time na bumalik na tayo sa tamang proseso, na ang hustisya ay kinukuha sa korte, hindi yung hustisya sa kalsada, na pag pinagsuspetsuhang addict eh papatayin ka. Dapat huhulihin, lilitisin ka ng judge.”
The official told me that he became a Samar provincial police director during the Duterte administration and he expressed confidence there were no ‘extra-judicial killings’ during his time. “Me encounter ako nun na naka-video pa nga and I requested pa na ma-upload ito sa internet. Me isang patay and one escape but I just made sure that I will do my job then in accordance with the law. I don’t take orders and give orders na ito hulihin mo, na ito patayin mo,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Torre said he firmly believes that an honest-to-good benchmark of a policeman is one who is able to make an arrest and jail a law offender and prove in court that the suspect is really guilty of breaking the law. “Ang maayos na pulis eh hung nanghuhuli tapos nangkukulong at hindi papatayin ang akusado. Kasi kukuha ng attorney yan at dapat nap ag humarap ka sa judge, i-prove mo na tama,” the official quipped.
The PNP-CIDG director narrated an incident in Manila last month wherein a criminology student who became a snatching victim suddenly was lynched by an angry crowd after the real criminal shouted for help. “Na-snatch na ang cellphone niya pero naging biktima siya ng rule of the mob, na hindi talaga dapat dahil siya pala ang biktima.”
“Patay na siya at papano pa maibabalik ang buhay niya? San Kung hinuli siya, nadepensahan niya ang sarili niya. Kaya nga ang rule of the mob will never ever be good. It will never work at pag ginawa natin, wala na tayong pinagkaiba sa mga hayop,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Torre referred to the case of the 26-year old student who was beaten and stabbed to death by a mob after being wrongly accused of stealing a mobile phone in Barangay 178 in Malate, Manila. Reports said that the victim chased the man who snatched his cellphone but after being mistaken for a thief, local residents, some armed with wooden sticks and knives attacked him. The victim died while undergoing treatment in a hospital.
The PNP-CIDG director also said unsigned manifestos against him and the PNP leadership should not be taken seriously. “They should not be counted. Kuwento na lang yan, another statement ng mga taong hindi kayang paninidigan sarili nila pag nagkatanungan na.”
He particularly referred to some active and retired police and government officials who were closely allied with FPRRD who refused to answer questions from the Quad Committee last year. “Bakit pag pulis ka, pag government official ka at tatanungin ka, ang sagot mo eh ‘I reserve my right to remain silent, against self-incrimination. Akala ko ba siga ka, akala ko barako ka,” Maj. Gen. Torre said.
“Bakit lahat ng mga enablers niya na nagpakita sa Kongreso, ang sagot lahat is I reserve my right against self-incrimination. Hindi ako bago sa mga cases na yan. Nung nasa Quezon City ako, me PLEB case ako na umaatras ang complainant pero I objected sa withdrawal ng complaint kasi hind ako takot sa investigation. Gusto ko ngang makita ang mga accusers ko para macross-examine ko sila,” he said.
Described by FPRRD and Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s supporters as ‘the most hated general’ in the country, Maj. Gen. Torre said he would just like to think that it is but natural for supporters of the two to have him although he believes that majority of Filipinos support and like him.
“Karamihan ng galit na galit sa akin eh mga trolls, una mga bots sila, fake accounts sila, hindi prinsipyo ang sinasabi, ang ginagawa nila ay dahil bayad sila. I also respect their opinions. They are free to tell me those as long as they are within the ambits of the law. Walang damayan ng hindi kasali,” he said referring in particular to his family.
“Damay na damay talaga ang family ko kaya humihingi ako ng pasensiya sa pamilya, sa mga kaibigan, pati mga remotely associated sa akin. Pero kung may mga taong gusto yung sistema ni Duterte, eh dapat mga pulis, hindi dapat kasi hindi tama.”
“Hindi yun ang nasa batas. In the end, anything outside the law would be unsustainable. Only our laws are keeping us from being degraded to the level of the animals. It is only the majesty of the law that tempers the power of the state and the powers of the people governing us,” he said.
“Pag tinapon mo ang batas, like pag tinulak mo ang Commission on Audit para hindi ka ma-audit, dahil ayaw mo ng check and balance, hindi na tenable yun. Pag sinabi mong puwede nang mang-rape diyan, hindi puwede yun.”
He also hit back at some law enforcers who came to the aid of an active police colonel who repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination during the QuadCom hearings.
“Bakit kelangang i-justify natin ang ginawa nung Duterte administration? Hindi ba nangako siya na sagot niya lahat? Bakit hindi siya singilin? He’s a president with the highest number of votes except for President Marcos, he’s a duly-constituted authority no doubt at that time kaya lahat ng assurance niya, nag-bank, umasa ang mga pulis. Ano yun budol,? he asked.
‘Ngayon, ipakita mo katapangan mo, na magaling ka, na wala kang kinatatakutan, hindi puwedeng pangako ngayon, joke only bukas. Kaya nga etong arrest na to is part of our commitment as a community of nation kasi kasama ang lahat dito, ang economy, justice, defense. Me pangako tayo na dapat sundin otherwise magiging pariah tayo, walang maniniwala sa atin,” he said.
