NEWLY assumed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Nicolas Torre III said Monday, June 2, 2025, that the number of illegal drug-related arrests will serve as a new performance metric for the organization.
In his first press briefing as the 31st PNP chief, Torre emphasized the need to beef up anti-drug efforts through the intensification of coordination with other law enforcement agencies and especially barangay officials to help locate suspected drug offenders.
However, he underscored that operations must ensure suspects are apprehended alive and that human rights are upheld.
“Kasama sa metrics natin ang number of arrests, paramihan, sige. Paramihan… arestuhin mo sila, dalhin mo sa husgado. Ngayon, e, siguraduhin mo tama ang ginawa mo sapagkat pag sinabi ng fiscal mismo na illegal ang aresto mo, problema na 'yun dahil 'pag dinadala sa Internal Affairs Service, dinadala sa Napolcom (National Police Commission), dinadala sa Pleb (People's Law Enforcement Board), e, may kalalagyan ka rin. So may check and balance ang ating mga sinasabi n’yong abuso,” Torre said.
(Included in our metrics is the number of arrests—make it a contest, go ahead. The more, the better… arrest them, bring them to court. But make sure what you did was right, because if the prosecutor himself says your arrest was illegal, that becomes a problem. When it's brought to the Internal Affairs Service, to the Napolcom, to the Pleb, you'll be held accountable. So there are checks and balances for what you call abuses.)
“Tandaan natin ‘yang mga tao na inaresto mo, hindi mo binaril o pinatay, buhay ‘yan. Andyan ang human rights… Well obviously, buhay ang tao, kukuha ng abogado 'yan. Aba, e, alam nila kung paano depensahan ang sarili nila sa human rights, in terms of their human rights,” he added.
(Let’s remember, the people you arrested—you didn’t shoot or kill them, they’re alive. Human rights are there… Well, obviously, since the person is alive, they’ll get a lawyer. And of course, they know how to defend themselves using their human rights.)
Torre vowed to recognize and reward exemplary police work and punish the erring policemen.
He assured that police officers will receive legal assistance if they encounter legal challenges while performing their duties.
Torre reiterated that there will be no public humiliation of erring policemen under his watch.
“I don't think that's a very effective strategy… Tao pa rin ang mga yan. Ang kasalanan niya naman hindi naman death sentence 'yan, e. Pero ito, sisiguraduhin ko sa inyo, behind closed doors, e, talagang makakarinig siya at makikita niya kung ano ang disiplina na ating sinasabi,” Torre said.
(I don't think that's a very effective strategy… They're still people. What they did isn’t punishable by death. But this, I assure you—behind closed doors, they will definitely hear and see what kind of discipline we're talking about.)
“So it's all about internal mechanisms, internal controls and internal procedures. So 'yan, we'll deal with that accordingly,” he added. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)