DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III officially took over as the Regional Director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) XI during a handover ceremony held on Sunday morning, June 16, at Camp Catitipan.
The event, originally scheduled for 10:00 AM, commenced at around 11:45 AM.
Brigadier General Aligre Martinez, the outgoing Regional Director, was notably absent from the ceremony.
His short tenure of just 49 days was marked by controversy, including a botched operation on June 10 aimed at serving arrest warrants against Apollo Quiboloy and five other co-accused.
This operation involved the deployment of hundreds of policemen from Regions 9, 10, and 12 and was overseen by the Philippine National Police (PNP) from Camp Crame.
Police Major General Benjamin Silo Jr., commander of the Area Police Command for Eastern Mindanao, presided over the handover ceremony and handed the PRO XI flag to Torre.
Martinez has been reassigned to the Police Holding and Accounting Office at Camp Crame, along with Major General Ronald Lee, the director of the Directorate for Operations, who was also relieved of his duties following the controversial raid.
Insiders at PRO XI indicated that the operations were directly managed by Camp Crame, which explains the presence of PNP helicopters during the raid. The aftermath of this operation contributed to the reassignment of Martinez and Lee.
In his brief speech lasting 5 minutes and 52 seconds, Torre acknowledged the challenges he inherits, particularly in light of recent events.
“I am fully aware of the challenges I will face here, especially in the wake of the controversy that I cannot sugarcoat, and the issues we witnessed last week. I hope to find a home here in resolving matters that need resolution and addressing unfinished business in Region XI,” Torre said.
He expressed gratitude to PNP Chief Ramil Marbil for the trust and confidence placed in him.
Speaking partly in his native Ilonggo, Torre added a touch of familiarity and lightheartedness to the ceremony “Ba’t ba ko nag English-English puede naman mag Ilonggo at sigurado ako maintindihan sang mga tao diri ang akon pag hilongo , kay hilonggo man ang madamo diri although Davao City is a Bisaya country, a Cebuano country.”
(Why I am speaking English here? When I can speak Ilonggo, and I am sure people here can understand me I know many here are Ilonggo, even though Davao City is predominantly Cebuano-speaking).
In his message, Major General Silo underscored the resilience of the PNP amidst ongoing challenges. “With Nick around, we will prioritize a more strategic and strict observance of existing laws in conducting operations within PRO XI,” Silo affirmed.
The turnover ceremony, initially delayed and rescheduled, marked a significant transition for PRO XI as it navigates through the complexities of recent controversies and looks forward to a more stable leadership under Brigadier General Torre.
