Torre vs. Bato: Skipping ranks, gaining power—two paths to PNP’s top post

DAVAO CITY (June 6) — As Gen. Nicolas Torre III takes the helm of the Philippine National Police (PNP), his swift rise to the top has ignited public debate, echoing another controversial promotion nearly a decade ago under former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Torre’s promotion from two-star Police Major General to full four-star Police General, effectively skipping a rank, has drawn criticism from some political quarters—including Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, who called the appointment “not merit-based.”

But in a calm and pointed response, Torre reminded critics of history: “Let’s rewind a bit—to the term of his father. Who was his first Chief PNP? A one-star who became an automatic four-star. Did he question that?” he said, referring to now-Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.

Indeed, Torre’s ascent in 2025 and Dela Rosa’s promotion in 2016 share striking similarities—both officers bypassed traditional promotion protocols and seniority to take on the powerful post of PNP Chief. Yet, the circumstances and political climates that carried each man to the top were dramatically different.

Rank and File: The Bypassed Ladder

When appointed in May 2025, Torre was serving as CIDG Director, holding the rank of Police Major General. He bypassed the three-star rank of Police Lieutenant General, overtaking more senior officials in the process. Malacañang defended the appointment, calling it “merit-based” and citing Torre’s leadership in key operations, including the controversial arrest of former President Duterte on an ICC warrant last March.

Dela Rosa, by comparison, was promoted in July 2016 directly from a one-star Police Chief Superintendent to a four-star Chief PNP. This move leapfrogged him over dozens of higher-ranking generals. At the time, he was known more for his fierce loyalty and success as Davao City’s police chief under then-Mayor Duterte than for holding high command positions in Camp Crame.

Politics at Play: Two Presidents, Two Messages

Torre’s appointment comes under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has steadily steered the country’s law enforcement away from the legacy of Duterte’s drug war. Torre, notably, led not just the ICC-mandated arrest of Duterte, but also the high-profile apprehension of religious leader Apollo Quiboloy—both moves applauded by the Marcos camp and criticized by Duterte allies.

In contrast, Dela Rosa’s rise was tightly bound to the early days of President Duterte’s term. Duterte handpicked his former Davao police chief to lead a nationwide war on drugs, launching Operation Tokhang and the deadly Oplan Double Barrel. Dela Rosa’s appointment symbolized Duterte’s combative style and intent to take the campaign from Davao’s streets to the national stage.

Career Paths: Lawman vs. Loyalist

Torre is a graduate of the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA), making history as the first PNPA alumnus to become Chief PNP. His career spans decades, encompassing investigative and operational roles—from city police chief to regional director, and ultimately to CIDG head. Peers have described him as methodical, apolitical, and deeply professional.

Dela Rosa, meanwhile, is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, a class that dominated top PNP posts during Duterte’s presidency. Known as “Bato,” he built his reputation through an iron-fisted approach to crime, and his promotion was widely seen as a reward for loyalty and effectiveness rather than seniority or institutional hierarchy.

Merit or Maneuvering?

Both men have defended their promotions.

Torre, when asked about bypassing senior officers, pointed out that the law allows the President to appoint any officer from the rank of chief superintendent and above. He has pledged to lead a merit-based PNP, saying: “Appointments will be based on merit, not on ‘pogi points’ or connections.”

Dela Rosa, for his part, downplayed the leap in rank by framing it as a response to duty. “This is a fight to the death against drugs,” he declared in 2016, pledging to execute Duterte’s mandate at all costs.

The Future of the Force

The back-to-back comparisons highlight a deeper tension within the PNP: the clash between tradition and presidential prerogative, as well as between institutional seniority and political loyalty.

Torre’s tenure is unfolding at a time of transition—where rule of law, international scrutiny, and institutional reform are center stage. Dela Rosa’s time was defined by firepower, fear, and fierce defense of a populist president.

In the end, both generals took unconventional paths to the same destination—one shaped by a war on drugs, the other perhaps by a reckoning with it.

Whether Torre will redefine the standards of police leadership or face the same scrutiny that hounded his predecessors remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the badge may be the same, but the burden it carries has never been more different.