(MB FILE PHOTO)
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic’’ Remulla confirmed on Tuesday, Aug. 26, that Police Lt. Gen Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. will succeed Police Gen. Nicolas Torre as chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Nartatez is currently the area police commander for Western Mindanao and is the PNP’s second in command before his stint in the area.
Nartatez was regarded as the frontrunner for the top post, but President Ferdinand “Bongbong’’ Marcos jr. appointed Torre instead.
Nartatez is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Tanglaw-Diwa Class of 1992 and is set to retire in March 2027.
Torre still had one year and seven months left to serve as the PNP chief before reaching the retirement age on March 11, 2027.
He was the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief who led the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his transport to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands on March 11 to face charges of crimes against humanity in connection with his administration’s war on drugs.
Torre was the CIDG chief from September 25, 2024 until his installation as PNP chief.