3 weeks ago
31
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Emmanuel Tupas - The Philippine Star
June 3, 2025 | 12:00am
President Marcos leads the donning of rank for new Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III during the turnover of command at Camp Crame yesterday. Seated is outgoing PNP chief Gen. Rommel Marbil.
Noel Pabalate
MANILA, Philippines — If trouble erupts in the neighborhood, call the police and get help in three minutes.
It’s a promise newly installed Philippine National Police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III made yesterday as he officially took over the 235,000-strong PNP from retired Gen. Rommel Marbil.
At the turnover ceremony led by President Marcos, Torre said his three-minute response policy, which he implemented when he was director of the Quezon City Police District, would now be in effect in major urban centers nationwide.
“This is not just a benchmark, it is a lifeline. Every call for help deserves immediate action and attention. We will be present, you’ll see us in the streets, in communities, at marketplaces and in every place where our presence is needed to give you peace of mind,” he said in a speech.
The President led the turnover ceremony yesterday at Camp Crame.
“My challenge to you: Keep the police ranks clean and honorable,” he said.
“Speed up investigations into cases against police officers who break the law so we can deliver justice as soon as possible,” Marcos said.
“When people are in need, there should be police that responds immediately. Let’s make Filipinos feel that there is a police force that is ready to help and defend them at all times,” he said.
When he headed the Quezon City police, Torre would test the readiness of his men by making on-the-spot calls through their radio communications equipment.
The three-minute response is among the core pillars that Torre said will define his tenure. The others are unity and morale within the ranks as well as accountability and modernization.
“A divided force cannot defend a nation, thus we will strengthen our core from within guided by discipline, mutual respect and leadership by example,” he said.
He also promised to equip the Anti-Cybercrime Group and other units with investigative tools and innovative technologies to combat cybercrimes.
Eight-hour shift
To ensure there are enough police officers on the streets, particularly in Metro Manila and city centers, Torre said he is eyeing to implement eight-hour shifts at police stations instead of the current 12-hour shifting schedule.
Implementing three shifting schedules a day also means police officers can spend more time with their families.
Torre said police officers should always be on their toes while on duty and 100 percent ready in rendering public service, noting that he has no tolerance for laziness.
He also warned police commanders of sanctions if they refuse or fail to provide journalists in their areas of jurisdiction with necessary information regarding issues or cases.
“If there’s a problem in a region or province and the media would ask for my statement, I would call out the provincial director and tell him the media should be calling him and not me because he’s there already,” he said.
Torre also said he plans to deactivate police community precincts (PCPs) and realign police officers on beat patrol.
He admitted he is not a fan of PCPs as they usually just become places where police officers would loiter.
“The bottomline there is – it (PCP) is a fixed structure which, when left untended, could become something else,” he said.
He also stressed he has no tolerance for police officers who show lack of interest in assisting citizens going to police stations to seek help.
Even if the requests are not police-related, Torre insisted PNP personnel should go out of their way to help people. — Helen Flores
