Everybody thought that his career was over when he was forced to resign as Quezon City’s top cop over a press conference faux pas with that bald gun-toting ex-policeman in a viral road rage video.

But when the PNP had started to become a laughingstock over alleged hesitation of some of its officials to arrest Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy for fear of retribution from his close friend Rodrigo Duterte, national police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil knew exactly the right man who has the balls to do the job.  

Not only did then Police Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III hauled off Quiboloy to jail after 16 days of hide-and-seek game and standoff in September last year, he also unhesitatingly took the job that no police commander could have pulled off—arresting and transporting the tough-talking former president to The Hague six months later.

Now a Major General and the most hated policeman in the DDS World, Torre is rumored to be the man to beat in the race for the Chief PNP.

The only downside right now is with the report that President Marcos is open to reconciliation with the Dutertes following a dismal result of the midterm polls, this is seen by some as a possible setback.

But politics aside, Torre built the reputation of being a no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point, and goal-oriented officer since he entered the police force after graduating from the PNPA in 1993.

Aside from what the people saw from the videos during Quiboloy and Duterte arrests, Torre also stood his ground when a Davao City official threatened to slap him when he started sacking police commanders in the area for dishonesty in crime-reporting and failure to respond to criminal incidents on time.

Born in Jolo, Sulu, Torre attributed his dream of being a cop to his father whom he idolized since childhood and there’s no doubt that his mother, a teacher, played a key role in building his character to do what is right and stand by it. 

In terms of academic achievements, he graduated elementary class valedictorian at the Notre Dame of Marbel College Koronadal, South Cotabato and class salutatorian at the Koronadal National Comprehensive High School.

He enrolled at the Mapua Institute of Technology taking BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering and as soon as he was admitted to the PNPA as soon as he obtained the required college units to enter the Academy.

He ranked fourth out of the 90 cadets of the PNPA in 1993. 

Torre has three master’s degrees, one in Public Administration at the Philippine Christian University, Business Administration at the International Academy of Management and Economics and Educational Management at the Samar College.

And in all the police training that he went through—including intelligence, civil aviation and urban counter-revolutionary courses—he consistently obtained the top spot in the ranking.

Torre held various positions in the police force across the country, including chief of police of Mabalacat, Pampanga and Batangas City, and provincial director of Samar province, and even chief information officer of the Police Regional Office 4A, or Calabarzon. 

As QC Police District Director, Torre successfully implemented the three-minute response, the same strategy that he wants to employ in Davao Region and led to the sacking of a number of police commanders for failure to adopt. 

The name Nicolas Torre III already made a mark in Philippine history as the enforcer of the arrest warrant of Duterte and Quiboloy. Will it make another history as the 31st and the first Lakan Chief PNP?