President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. relieved General Nicolas Torre III as the chief of the Philippines National Police (PNP) 85 days after his appointment on June 2, and replaced him with his former second-in-comman.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Torre was relieved based on the "personal decision of the President".

"The Palace affirms that President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has made the difficult but necessary decision to relieve PNP Chief PGen Nicolas Torre III of his duties. The President believes that his national security apparatus must always work within the framework of the law," he said.

"With the recent developments, the President was presented with the facts and he determined that the best course of action is to uphold the role of Napolcom as it was intended by law. As part of this resolution, the President decided to relieve PGen. Torre," he added.

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) last August 14 ordered Torre to return Lt. Gen, Jose Melencio Nartatez as PNP deputy director for administration from being the head of the Western Mindanao Area Police Command. Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac, who manned this command, took Nartatez's place.

Torre was replaced by his former-second in command, Nartatez. He assumed the position as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the PNP in a ceremony in Camp Crame on Tuesday.

Remulla confirmed that the recent resolution issued by the Napolcom nullifying Torre's reassignment of some police officials, including Nartatez, is one of the considerations for his relief.

"That among other things is part of the consideration of the President," he said.

Nartatez was reinstated after Napolcom issued a resolution overturning Torre's decision.

Torre, who headed the PNP Criminal and Investigation Detection Group, zoomed to fame as he figured in the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ pastor Apollo Quiboloy last year and the turnover of ex-President Rodrigo Duterte last March to the Interpol where under the custody of the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

As PNP chief, he ordered police to respond to crimes within five minutes and relieved officers for being remiss in their duties. Robina Asido/DMS