President Marcos has appointed former Philippine National Police chief General Nicolas Torre III as the new general manager of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Malacañang confirmed. 

Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro confirmed Torre's appointment on Friday afternoon, Dec. 19. 

Torre will replace outgoing MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana.

Ever since Torre was relieved from his post as the PNP chief, Malacañang has been hinting at offering a new position to the PNP general. 

He was relieved as PNP chief in August this year. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla then said that "President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has made a difficult but necessary decision to remove PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III from his duties. The President believes that this nation’s security apparatus has always worked within the framework of the law."

Remulla added that Torre's removal was not an easy choice, but it was made in the national interest.

Also in August, Castro was quoted as saying a position was indeed being offered to Torre, but refused to reveal further information.

"Hindi pa po natin maisisiwalat ang detalye patungkol po dito pero confirmed po na may inaalok pong posisyon (We cannot reveal details yet, but it is confirmed that a position is being offered),” Castro then said.

Torre has overseen two high-profile police operations—the arrests of Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader Apollo Quiboloy and former president Rodrigo Duterte—before he was appointed as PNP chief.

He was the first Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) graduate to be appointed as PNP Chief. He entered the police force after graduating from the PNPA in 1993.

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 Samar College.

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.