DAVAO City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte hit back at former Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Nicolas Torre III, saying that before Torre talks about arrest warrants, he should first explain why his term as PNP chief ended so abruptly.
“Until then, he should sit this one out. Short-term chiefs should not issue long-term threats,” Duterte said in a statement on November 19, 2025.
He added that before Torre “fantasizes” about arresting someone, he should first address the “memory gap” Filipinos have—because “no one remembers Torre as PNP chief,” as his term was “so short that it could be measured in hours rather than in achievements.”
The congressman said Torre’s tenure was not a leadership stint but “an intermission, a placeholder, a bookmark in a chapter nobody read.” He added that the only thing shorter than Torre’s service was the patience of PNP officers who questioned how someone “politically fragile” ended up becoming PNP chief.
Duterte also said Torre is now “parading himself as an expert in international law” and claims that his brief service as PNP chief made him an “oracle of sovereignty.”
He stressed that the Philippines is not a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), something “everyone already knows,” and implied that Torre — or whoever is coaching him — should also know this.
The congressman then said that after Torre threatened Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, he should “check the scoreboard,” noting that Dela Rosa “actually served” the country while Torre had only a short stint in Camp Crame before being replaced.
He added that Torre’s sudden “loudness” is not courage but bitterness disguised as relevance. He ended by saying that Torre is clinging to whatever media attention he can get and emphasized that credibility is earned over time — something Torre never served long enough to build.
Torre ready to arrest Senator Dela Rosa
Torre said in a national media interview that he is ready to implement an arrest warrant against Dela Rosa if ordered to do so. He said that from the start of his police career, he had always followed orders, and that he would continue to do so even if he is no longer PNP chief.
He said he is a professional police officer who would abide by the law, adding that his adherence to orders would remain unchanged.
To recall, Torre served as PNP chief for only two months and made headlines for his charity boxing match with Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.
Before becoming PNP chief, Torre was a central figure in one of the country’s most extensive law enforcement operations: the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy in September 2024.
In June 2024, Torre assumed leadership of the Police Regional Office-Davao (Davao Region), where he oversaw “Operation Plan Teknon Alpha,” a massive 16-day siege of Quiboloy’s sprawling KOJC compound. The operation, which deployed about 4,500 police personnel and cost around ₱35 million, was described as “unprecedented in scale.”
Alleged arrest warrant for Dela Rosa
Earlier, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla claimed that the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Dela Rosa.
“I have it on good authority kasi public interest ito. The ICC has issued a warrant against Senator Bato Dela Rosa. Warrant of arrest,” he said in a radio interview on DZRH.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said it would only carry out an arrest if the ICC had indeed issued a warrant.
ICC spokesperson Fadi El Abdallah told national media that official ICC information is released only through its communication channels and press releases. He said the only ongoing case at the moment is against former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte (FPRRD).
“So, no is a direct answer to your question to confirm if such an arrest warrant exists,” he added.
Dela Rosa was the former PNP chief when FPRRD launched his campaign against illegal drugs. RGP